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Lawyer not guilty in tax scheme
A Wilmington tax lawyer was acquitted Wednesday of tax conspiracy and obstructing justice in connection with the federal investigation that also snared former U.S. Attorney Sam Currin.After an eight-day trial in Charlotte, Ricky Edward Graves was found not guilty of the two charges leveled against him in connection with what prosecutors have depicted as a scheme to help people set up offshore bank accounts, offshore credit cards and foreign trusts to avoid paying federal income tax."Justice has finally been served. This nightmare is over. My name is finally cleared," said Graves in a statement issued by his lawyers.Prosecutors had said Graves was involved in the complex securities fraud scheme with Currin of Raleigh and Howell W. Woltz and Vernice C. Woltz, both of Charlotte. Graves' lawyers, Pete Anderson and Will Terpening, said Graves was unaware of his co-defendants' offshore criminal activities.
House Committee Plans to Scrutinize Charities and Foundations
In the first clear sign that congressional scrutiny of nonprofit organizations will continue now that Democrats control Congress, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has revealed plans to hold hearings on nonprofit organizations. Rep. Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat who chairs the Ways and Means Committee, wants nonprofit organizations to show why they deserve to be tax-exempt and what they do to help the poor and elderly, according to the committee's staff members. However, at the same time the committee will look at the problems that charities face as they attempt to fulfill their missions, committee staff members say. Charities will find the Ways and Means Committee — which oversees tax-exempt groups — more "sympathetic" to charities than it was under Republican leadership, said Karen McAfee, a tax lawyer for the Ways and Means Committee.
Death Crash Lawyer's Mum Describes Her Grief
The heart-broken mother of a pretty young lawyer killed in a horrific pile-up involving a car being pursued by police said the tragedy left her feeling like she was "dying inside."Natalie Forde, 26, died, a taxi driver in his forties was also killed and another four people seriously injured when the BMW ploughed into a taxi and then hit Natalie and a man walking along the footpath next to one of London's busiest roads.She was rushed to the nearby North Middlesex Hospital following the crash on the North Circular at Haringay in the early hours of Saturday morning, but was pronounced dead an hour later.Today Natalie's parents Kevin and Teresa Forde were grieving behind closed doors at the family's luxury detached home in the affluent nearby suburb of Southgate. The family, who who were being consoled by friends and neighbours, said they were "too upset" to talk.However, several floral tributes had been placed at the crash scene by Mrs Forde and other shattered friends and relatives.A hand-written note from Mrs Forde attached to a bouquet of white and yellow flowers read: "Dearest Natalie.
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