A Santa Monica attorney specializing in estate planning pleaded guilty this week to filing false tax returns in an attempt to evade paying over $1 million in taxes, federal authorities said.
Robert M.L. Baker III, 46, entered into a plea agreement Tuesday in U.S. District Court, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
He admitted that he, along with others, devised a scheme to misappropriate client fees and settlements to evade payment of tax. In the plea agreement, Baker said he utilized shell entities and trusts to hide over $900,000 in client fees and assets from the IRS, including a house located in Westwood.
Baker altered his banking practices to disguise his actions, according to the plea agreement. He used nominee bank accounts, converted client fees into cashier's checks to pay personal expenses, altered and cashed checks, and directed clients and other law firms handling clients to mail and wire funds to nominee bank accounts.
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Santa Monica Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud
Tax fraud will get them in hot water they can't get out of!
ReplyDeleteRobert is a good man with a young family who hopefully will not pay for this mistake with too much jail time.
ReplyDeleteRobert Baker iii and his Wife Wendy Baker (goes by Wendy Berman & ironically is an elementary school teacher, are mean -sprited people who use & are using 'blood money' they conspired to & stole from elderly people; to drive around in fancy cars, belong to fancy clubs (bel air bay club), and the house the sheltered the money stolen from. Both should be punished to the fullest. Don't let them fool you.
ReplyDeleteRobert Baker isn't accused of stealing money from anyone. He's plead guilty of not paying taxes he owes the IRS from his rather successful law practice...get your story straight. I've known Robert and his family for 25 years. They've been members of the Bel Air Bay Club since he was in elementary school.
ReplyDeleteRobert Baker III inherited, along with his father, the house that was built by his great grandfather and owned by his grandmother Baker until her death. The IRS wanted to take that home for back taxes and the IRS lost. Wendy Baker Berman is an outstanding educator who had nothing to do with payment of back taxes. Rob Baker is an extraordinary man who volunteered countless hours working to help underprivileged children outside his law practice. He stole nothing but tried to hide his own income.
ReplyDeleteMr. Baker is a thief and liar. He never had a successful law practice. He was at the country club or drinking and drugging.
ReplyDelete. Baker hid income by hiding income and not paying taxes. Who would post derogatory comments except for revenge by the govt agency that does steal and lie?
ReplyDelete