T.C. Memo. 1996-19
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
J.J. ZAND, Petitioner v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
J.J. ZAND AND EVA C. ZAND, Petitioners v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Docket Nos. 32434-88, 32435-88. Filed January 23, 1996.
Earl J. Silbert, David J. Curtin, and Kevin M. Dinan, for
petitioners.
Nancy B. Herbert, James W. Ruger, John J. Boyle and
Mathew J. Fritz, for respondent.
- 2 -
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
Determinations of Deficiencies and Additions to Tax . . 7
Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Findings of Fact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
I. Preliminary Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
A. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
B. Ownership of Diesel Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
C. Audits for Prior Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
D. Preparation of Tax Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
E. Bank Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
F. Sale of Diesel Power Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
II. Transactions With Manufacturers--Commission Income . . . 22
A. Lockheed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
B. Payments by Lockheed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
C. Ashland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
D. Payments by Ashland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
E. General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
F. Payments Made by General Motors. . . . . . . . . . . 49
G. SEDCO/IMICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
H. Payments by SEDCO, IMICO, Stewart & Stevenson . . . 56
I. Ingersoll-Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
J. Payments by Ingersoll-Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
K. Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
L. Payments by Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
M. Harnischfeger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
N. Payments by Harnischfeger . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
O. Pioneer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
P. Payments by Pioneer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Q. Galion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
R. Payments by Galion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
S. Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
T. Payments by Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
U. Miscellaneous Commissions/Goodyear . . . . . . . . . 94
V. Payments by Miscellaneous Companies/Goodyear . . . . 95
III. Interest and Dividend Income--First National City Bank,
London, England, and Crown Life Insurance Company. . . . 100
IV. Interest Income--WHIP Account at Barclays Bank Bahamas . 102
- 3 -
V. Character of Gain on Disposition of Diesel Power Stock . 103
VI. Claimed Capital Losses for 1978 and 1979 . . . . . . . . 105
VII. Asserted Claim of Right for 1979 . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
VIII. Claimed Schedule C Expense Deductions . . . . . . . . . 108
A. Cost of Goods Sold for 1973 . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
B. Cost of Goods Sold for 1977 . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
C. Cost of Goods Sold for 1978, 1979, and 1981 . . . . 110
D. Claimed Deductions for Commission Expenses . . . . . 110
E. Claimed Deductions for Consulting Fees . . . . . . . 115
F. Claimed Deductions for Management Fees . . . . . . . 117
G. Claimed Deductions for Consulting Fees or Salary . . 120
H. Claimed Deductions for Legal and Professional Fees . 121
I. Claimed Deductions for Salaries and Wages . . . . . 124
J. Claimed Deductions for Office Expenses . . . . . . . 124
K. Claimed Deductions for Interest Expenses . . . . . . 129
L. Claimed Deductions for Insurance Expenses . . . . . 132
M. Claimed Deductions for Dues and Publications . . . . 132
N. Claimed Deductions for Depreciation . . . . . . . . 133
O. Claimed Rental Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
P. Claimed Rent Expense--London . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Q. Claimed Deduction for Loan Origination Fee . . . . . 135
R. Claimed Moving Expense Deduction . . . . . . . . . . 136
S. Investment Tax Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
T. Claimed Deductions for Travel and Entertainment
Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
IX. Claimed Dependency Exemption and Charitable Contribution
Deductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
A. Dependency Exemption Deduction Claimed for
Tara Daneshvari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
B. Deduction for Charitable Contribution Claimed for
Property Transferred to the City of Columbus, Ohio. .144
C. Deduction for Charitable Contribution Claimed for
Property Transferred to Kenyon College . . . . . . . 146
X. Claimed Losses From Trusts, Partnerships, Subchapter S
Corporation, and Farming Operations . . . . . . . . . . 149
- 4 -
Ultimate Findings of Fact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
I. Preliminary Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
A. Burden of Proof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
B. Evidentiary Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
C. New Issues Raised by Petitioner on Brief . . . . . . 157
II. Issues 1,2,3, and 6--Commission and Miscellaneous
Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
A. Lockheed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
B. Ashland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
C. General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
D. SEDCO, IMICO, IMISS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
E. Ingersoll-Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
F. Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
G. Harnischfeger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
H. Pioneer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
I. Galion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
J. Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
K. Miscellaneous Companies/Goodyear . . . . . . . . . 197
L. Petitioner's Withdrawals From Bank Accounts . . . . 198
III. Issues 4 and 5--Interest Income on Foreign
Bank Accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
IV. Issue 7--Amount and Character of Gain on Sale of
Diesel Power Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
V. Issues 8 and 9--Claimed Reduction in 1979 Reported
Income Under a Claim of Right and Section 1341 Tax
Computation for 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
VI. Issue 10--Claimed Schedule C Business Expense
Deductions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
A. Cost of Goods Sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
B. Commission Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
C. Consulting Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
D. Management Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
E. Legal and Professional Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
- 5 -
F. Salaries and Wages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
G. Office Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
H. Interest Expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
I. Expenses for Insurance and Dues and Publications . 237
J. Depreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
K. Rental Loss and London Rent Expense . . . . . . . . 240
L. Loan Origination Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
M. Moving Expense and Investment Tax Credits . . . . . 241
N. Travel and Entertainment Expenses . . . . . . . . . 241
VII. Issue 11--Dependency Exemption and Charitable
Contribution Deductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
A. Dependency Exemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
B. Deduction for Charitable Contribution to City of
Columbus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
C. Deduction for Charitable Contribution to Kenyon
College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
VIII. Issue 12--Losses From Trusts, Partnerships, Subchapter
S Corporation, and Farming Operations . . . . . . . . . 263
IX. Issue 13--Section 6653(b) Additions to Tax for Fraud . . 266
X. Issue 14--Statute of Limitations for 1972 . . . . . . . 281
XI. Issue 15 and 16--Section 6653(a) Additions to Tax for
Negligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
XII. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
- 6 -
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
DAWSON, Judge:1 In these consolidated cases respondent
determined the following Federal income tax deficiencies and
additions to tax in the notices of deficiencies dated September
22, 1988:
J.J. Zand, Docket No. 32434-88
Additions to Tax
Year Deficiency Sec. 6653(b) Sec. 6653(a)2
1972 $509,899.26 $265,584.61 ---
1973 615,949.53 326,663.06 ---
1974 1,859,675.64 929,837.82 ---
1975 2,941,539.51 1,789,151.60 ---
1976 2,647,211,47 1,349,444.24 ---
1977 1,408,023.34 $7,401.17
1
These cases were assigned to Judge Meade Whitaker on Oct. 6, 1989,
for trial or other disposition. After extensive discovery by counsel for the
parties, the cases were tried for 10 days beginning Aug. 19, 1991. The final
brief was filed on June 15, 1993. Judge Whitaker did not dispose of the cases
before he retired on permanent disability on Jan. 31, 1995. Chief Judge
Hamblen ordered the parties on Feb. 8, 1995, to file a response to the
proposed reassignment of the cases. Petitioners opposed the reassignment;
respondent did not oppose the reassignment. At an informal conference with
counsel for the parties on Apr. 5, 1995, the parties were offered a new trial,
which was not accepted, and it was suggested that efforts be made to settle
the cases. After being informed on Oct. 19, 1995, that the cases could not be
settled, the Chief Judge reassigned the cases to Judge Howard A. Dawson, Jr.,
on Oct. 23, 1995, for opinion and decisions. On Nov. 3, 1995, petitioners
filed an objection to the reassignment of the cases but did not move for or
request a new trial.
In these circumstances, where the trial Judge has become permanently
disabled and cannot be recalled to decide the cases and where the parties have
not moved for or requested a new trial or to reopen the record for submission
of additional evidence, the Court has two options. It can order a new trial,
although not requested by the parties, or it can reassign the cases to another
judge for disposition on the record made before the trial Judge. The Court
has chosen the latter. Therefore, the findings of fact and conclusions herein
are based on the documentary and testimonial evidence contained in the record.
2
Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the
Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue, and all Rule
references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.
- 7 -
J.J. Zand and Eva C. Zand, Docket No. 32435-88
Additions to Tax
Year Deficiency Sec. 6653(a)(1) Sec. 6653(a)(2)
1
1978 $479,425.94 $23,971.30 ---
1
1979 754,569.20 37,728.46 ---
1
1980 171,510.84 8,575.54 ---
1981 246,218.55 12,310.93 50 percent of
interest due on
$246,218.55
1
The correct section is 6653(a).
In an Amendment to Answer filed August 13, 1991, respondent
asserted increased deficiencies in, and additions to, petitioner
J.J. Zand's Federal income taxes as follows:
Increase in Increase in Addition to Tax
Year Deficiency Sec. 6653(b)
1973 $5,150.34 $2,575.17
1974 59,729.00 29,864.50
1975 305,317.94 152,658.94
1976 99,952.62 49,976.34
A substantial number of adjustments for most of the years in
issue have been settled by concessions made by the parties.
These concessions can ultimately be reflected in the Rule 155
computations. The following issues are presented for decision:
1. Whether J.J. Zand (petitioner) had unreported commission
or fee income received from contracts for services between him or
his sole proprietorship, Caspian Trading Company, and various
manufacturers.
2. Whether petitioner had unreported commission or fee
income received from contracts between various manufacturers and
- 8 -
Diesel Power Trading Company, whose earnings were controlled by
petitioner or diverted to his use.
3. Whether petitioner had unreported income from amounts
paid to WHIP, a shell corporation, over which he exercised
dominion and control.
4. Whether petitioner had unreported interest income earned
on First National City Bank of London, England, bank accounts in
his name for the years 1974, 1975, and 1976.
5. Whether petitioner had unreported interest income earned
on a Barclays Bank Bahamas account for the years 1974, 1975, and
1976.
6. Whether petitioner had taxable income from various
miscellaneous items of income paid to him.
7. For the year 1977, whether petitioner's gain on the sale
of his stock in Diesel Power Trading Company must be reported as
a dividend under section 1248, rather than a long-term capital
gain, and what is the correct amount of such gain.
8. Whether petitioner is entitled to reduce the gross
income reported on his return for 1979 by the amount of $348,350
as set forth in an amended return filed for 1979.
9. Whether petitioner is entitled to use the tax
computation of section 1341 for the year 1981.
10. Whether petitioner's taxable income for the years 1973
through 1981 should be increased by adjustments made by
- 9 -
respondent to claimed deductions on Schedule C for cost of goods
sold, ordinary and necessary business expenses, travel and
entertainment expenses, and depreciation.
11. Whether petitioner's taxable income for certain years
should be increased by adjustments made by respondent to claimed
deductions for a dependency exemption and charitable
contributions.
12. Whether petitioner is entitled to losses claimed with
respect to rental activities, trusts, partnerships, subchapter S
corporations and farming activities for the years 1976 through
1981.
13. Whether any part of the underpayment of income tax for
each of the years 1972 through 1976 was due to petitioner's fraud
with intent to evade tax.
14. Whether the assessment and collection of petitioner's
Federal income taxes for 1972 are barred by the statute of
limitations.
15. Whether petitioner is liable for the addition to tax
for negligence under section 6653(a) for the year 1977.
16. Whether petitioners are liable for additions to tax
under section 6653(a) for years 1978 through 1980 due to
negligence or intentional disregard of rules and regulations, and
for the additions to tax under section 6653(a)(1) and (2) for the
year 1981.
- 10 -
FINDINGS OF FACT
Many facts have been stipulated and are so found. The
stipulations of fact and supplemental stipulations and attached
exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. Petitioners
J.J. Zand and Eva Zand3 resided in Naples, Florida, when the
petitions were filed in these cases.
I. Preliminary Facts
A. Background
Petitioner was born on June 14, 1923. He became a U.S.
citizen in 1953 and remained so during the years at issue. Prior
to becoming a U.S. citizen, he was a citizen of Iran. Petitioner
moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1946, where he lived with his family
until 1957.
Caspian Trading Company of Iran (Caspian Iran) was formed by
four of petitioner's classmates in 1945, and owned by the
Bakhtiar Brothers, who were not related to petitioner. Its
purpose was to import American equipment into Iran and to become
an Iranian distributor of U.S. products.
From the mid-1950's, petitioner's business in the United
States operated under the sole proprietorship name of Caspian
Trading Company (CTC), located in Columbus, Ohio. CTC's role was
to act as a liaison between Caspian Iran and certain
3
While Eva Zand is a petitioner for the years 1978 through 1981
because she filed joint returns with J.J. Zand, most of the adjustments at
issue involve the activities of J.J. Zand, who is referred to throughout our
findings of fact and opinion as petitioner.
- 11 -
manufacturers with which petitioner had a business relationship.
During this period petitioner had an arrangement with Caspian
Iran whereby he operated in Columbus, Ohio, what he referred to
in his dealings with manufacturers as a U.S. "branch office" of
Caspian Iran. Petitioner, through CTC, sought to act as a
distributor on behalf of American manufacturers whose goods were
then sold in Iran by Caspian Iran. The earnings of both Caspian
Iran and petitioner were on a commission basis. There was an
understanding between petitioner and Caspian Iran that all
commissions earned would be split 60 percent for Caspian Iran and
40 percent for petitioner.
Petitioner moved back to Iran from Columbus, Ohio, at the
end of 1957. His connections with Caspian Iran were severed in
approximately October 1957. In an agreement terminating the
relationship, Caspian Iran and CTC agreed that commissions earned
in pending transactions would be divided 60 percent for Caspian
Iran and 40 percent for CTC.
In 1958, Diesel Power Trading Company (Diesel Power) was
established in Iran by petitioner, his father, Jamil Z. Irani,
and Mr. Taleghani, a former classmate of petitioner. Petitioner
subsequently acquired the Diesel Power stock of his father and
Mr. Taleghani, and he owned 100 percent of Diesel Power from the
late 1950's or early 1960's until the end of 1974. During the
early period of Diesel Power's existence, petitioner's father was
- 12 -
highly involved in its operation. His father was Diesel Power's
managing director until the mid-1960's, and the commercial
license of Diesel Power at one time was issued in his name. Such
license may only be issued to a resident of Iran.
Sometime between 1958 and 1961, petitioner moved his family
to nearby Beirut, Lebanon. While in Teheran and Beirut,
petitioner worked on Diesel Power matters using either the
Caspian Iran or CTC name.
Petitioner also maintained an office in Columbus, Ohio,
during these years with at least one employee. Regular
communications from Diesel Power were received and passed on to
various American manufacturers via the Columbus, Ohio, office;
that office also expedited shipment and collected commissions
earned. Petitioner returned to the United States in 1961.
B. Ownership of Diesel Power
Farshid Khalatbari (Mr. Khalatbari) joined Diesel Power in
the mid-1960's and replaced petitioner's father as the managing
director. Mr. Khalatbari married Diana Zand, petitioner's
sister, who was then referred to as Diana Khalatbari. In 1971 a
dispute arose between petitioner and Mr. Khalatbari;
consequently, Mr. Khalatbari left Diesel Power for about 10 days.
He agreed to return upon assurances from petitioner that he would
become a part owner of Diesel Power. It was not until November
1974, that Diesel Power, which formerly had been a limited
- 13 -
partnership, was converted to a corporate form. In the course of
that change, petitioner was paid 11,750,000 rials and decreased
his ownership share of Diesel Power to less than 50 percent.4 On
his original and amended income tax returns for 1974, 1975, and
1976, petitioner did not report disposition of any interest in
Diesel Power. Petitioner, Mr. Khalatbari, and Diana Khalatbari
were directors of Diesel Power during the years at issue.
Petitioner's brother, I.J. Zand, was also employed by Diesel
Power from 1971 to 1976 as parts director and sales director.
From 1971 to 1976 petitioner owned the land on which the shops,
offices, and warehouse of Diesel Power were located, but he did
not report any rental income therefrom on his 1972, 1973, and
1974 returns. Petitioner sold this land to Diesel Power in 1976
and reported the gain therefrom.
C. Audits for Prior Years
Respondent made adjustments to petitioner's 1958 income for
unreported commissions. The 1958 notice of deficiency indicated
that 40 percent of the commissions earned for two of the items
and 10 percent for one item constituted additional commission
income. Petitioner's Federal income tax returns for the years
1959 to 1961 were also audited. His income for those years was
increased for omitted commissions, again at the 40 percent and 10
percent rates.
4
It appears that petitioner's ownership of Diesel Power was 49 percent.
- 14 -
After petitioner consented to extend the period of
limitations for the years 1964 to 1968, his returns for those
years resulted in a "no change" letter. A previous audit of
petitioner's income tax return for 1972 resulted in another "no
change" letter.
D. Preparation of Tax Returns
Petitioner employed several different accountants to prepare
his income tax returns during the years at issue. His returns
for the years 1972 through 1976, as well as a first amended
return for 1975 filed on December 20, 1976, were prepared by
Robert E. Giffin. Mr. Giffin relied upon the CTC receipts
journals for the preparation of these returns and was not made
aware of petitioner's bank accounts or his interest in companies
located in other countries. Mr. Giffin did not know at the time
he prepared the returns that petitioner owned any portion of
Diesel Power stock. A second amended return for the year 1975
and an amended return for the year 1976 filed on February 22,
1978, were prepared by Steven Dutton, a C.P.A. On the amended
return for 1976 petitioner reported increased commission income
of $134,378. Mr. Dutton worked for petitioner from September
1977 until June 1980. The returns prepared by Mr. Dutton were
based upon the CTC receipts and disbursements journals. At
times, Mr. Dutton reviewed the substantiation for certain claimed
deductions. Petitioner's 1977 return was also prepared by Mr.
- 15 -
Dutton, who at that time worked for Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.
Although no return preparer's name appears on petitioners' 1978
and 1979 returns, Mr. Dutton was involved in their preparation.
An amended return for the year 1979 filed April 4, 1983, was
prepared by Santen, Santen & Hughes Co., LPA. Deloitte, Haskins
& Sells prepared the 1980 and 1981 Forms 1040 and 1040X.
E. Bank Accounts
There were a significant number of bank accounts under
petitioner's control or into which his funds were deposited
during the years at issue. The accounts in the names of either
CTC or petitioner were located at First National City Bank,
London; City National Bank & Trust Company, Columbus, Ohio; Bank
One of Columbus, Ohio; Raiffeisen Bank, Kitzbuhel, Austria; Bank
of America, New York; and First National City Bank, Channel
Island. The accounts in the name of Diesel Power were located at
City National Bank of Columbus, Ohio; Bank of Teheran, Iran;
First National City Bank, Geneva, Switzerland; First National
City Bank, New York; Bank of America, New York; Citibank, Channel
Island; and Banque de Paris Et Des Pays-Bas (Suisse) S.A. (Banque
de Paris), Geneva, Switzerland. An account in the name of WHIP
was located at Barclays Bank, Freeport, Bahamas. An account in
the name of All Patents was located at Banque de Paris, Geneva,
Switzerland. An account in the name of IGOS was located at City
National Bank & Trust Company, Columbus, Ohio. An account in the
- 16 -
name of Interrep was located at Banque de Paris, Geneva,
Switzerland. For convenience we list below the major accounts,
their years of existence, whether petitioner was an authorized
signatory, and the names by which we refer to them herein:
Petitioner
Name on Years Authorized Name
Account in Existence Signatory Used
Petitioner 1973-1975 Yes Zand FNCB London
Petitioner 1972-1976 Yes Zand CNB Columbus
Petitioner 1972-1976 Yes Zand Kitzbuhel
CTC 1973-1975 Yes CTC Bank of America
CTC 1972-1976 Yes CTC CNB
Petitioner 1975-1977 Yes CTC FNCB London
c/o CTC
CTC Unknown Unknown CTC Bank One
Diesel Power 1971-1977 Yes Diesel Power CNB
Columbus
Diesel Power 1972-1976 Yes Diesel Power Bank
of Teheran
Diesel Power 1975-1978 Yes Diesel Power FNCB
Geneva # 1
Diesel Power 1972-1976 Unknown Diesel Power FNCB
Geneva # 2
Diesel Power/ 1974-? Yes Diesel Power FNCB
J.J. Zand London
Petitioner
Name on Years Authorized Name
Account in Existence Signatory Used
Diesel Power 1972-1976 Yes Diesel Power Bank of
c/o CTC America
- 17 -
Diesel Power 1972-1976 Yes Diesel Power Banque
de Paris
Diesel Power Unknown Unknown Diesel Power Channel
Island
WHIP 1972-1976 Yes WHIP Barclays
Bahamas
WHIP Unknown Unknown WHIP Banque de Paris
All Patents 1972-1976 Yes All Patents Banque
de Paris
IGOS 1974 Yes IGOS CNB Columbus
Interrep, S.A. 1973 Unknown Interrep Banque
de Paris
During 1973 petitioner wrote checks to himself on the Diesel
Power Bank of America account5 in the amounts of $30,000, $75,000,
$90,000, and $10,500. These checks were endorsed for deposit
into either a CTC account or one of petitioner's personal
accounts. An additional $50,000 was withdrawn from this account
during 1973 and paid to petitioner/CTC. The CTC cash receipts
journal reflects each of these amounts received as a loan.
However, there is no other documentary evidence of a loan between
petitioner and Diesel Power at this time, nor is there any
documentary evidence that such a loan, if it existed, was ever
repaid. Petitioner also wrote a check to himself in the amount
5
Although the account number that appears on the checks contained in
Exh. 508-SN is different than the stipulated account number for the Diesel
Power Bank of America account, the parties have stipulated that the checks
contained in that exhibit were written on the same account. Therefore, we
assume that the difference in account numbers is of no significance and that
there was only one Diesel Power Bank of America account.
- 18 -
of $400,000 during 1973, which was endorsed for deposit to City
National Bank & Trust Company; this check is not reflected on
CTC's cash receipts journal.
During 1974 petitioner wrote checks to himself on the Diesel
Power Bank of America account in the total amount of $531,633.48.
These checks were endorsed for deposit to either CTC or Zand
personal accounts. All of these deposits are reflected in the
CTC cash receipts journal as either loans or reimbursements with
the exception of one deposit in the amount of $40,000, which is
not reflected at all. There is no other documentary evidence of
a loan in the record.
During 1975 petitioner wrote five checks to himself on the
Diesel Power Bank of America account. One check in the amount of
$150,000 was endorsed for deposit to CTC but is not reflected in
the CTC cash receipts journal. A second check in the amount of
$375,000 was endorsed for deposit to a Zand account; it is
reflected on the 1975 CTC receipts journal as a loan. However,
there is no other documentary evidence in the record of such a
loan. Petitioner wrote three additional checks on the Diesel
Power Bank of America account during 1975 in the total amount of
$76,652.03. Two of these checks were endorsed for deposit to
CTC. The third check in the amount of $50,000 was endorsed to
"I.D.S." to purchase stock. The first two checks were listed on
CTC's 1975 cash receipts journal as reimbursements. The check
- 19 -
endorsed to I.D.S. does not appear on the 1975 CTC cash receipts
journal.
In 1976 petitioner wrote four checks to himself on the
Diesel Power Bank of America account in the total amount of
$265,000. Three of these checks in the total amount of $150,000
were endorsed for deposit to CTC or Zand personal accounts. The
1976 CTC receipts journal reflects these payments as a transfer
or loans from Diesel Power. There is no other documentary
evidence of loans in the record. The fourth check in the amount
of $115,000 was endorsed to Ray Prussing. Although there is no
documentary evidence of a loan at the time the check was
endorsed, Ray Prussing paid $115,000 to petitioner in 1977. The
1977 CTC cash receipts journal lists a deposit of $115,000 as a
Refund/Reimbursement.
F. Sale of Diesel Power Stock
In December 1977 petitioner sold the remainder of his Diesel
Power stock to Mr. and Mrs. Khalatbari for $6 million, $3,300,000
of which was paid as a downpayment to petitioner at that time.
The Shareholder Consent and Agreement to the sale states that,
prior to the sale, petitioner owned 40 percent of Diesel Power
stock, and that the Khalatbari family owned the remaining 60
percent. On petitioner's 1977 income tax return, petitioner
reported the sale of a 40-percent stock interest in Diesel Power.
Sometime after the sale of petitioner's Diesel Power stock in
- 20 -
1977, Mr. Dutton prepared an analysis of petitioner's records in
order to ascertain whether petitioner had received what he was
entitled to for the sale of the stock. In the course of that
analysis, Mr. Dutton summarized the total commissions received by
CTC from manufacturers from January 1, 1973, to June 30, 1978, as
reflected on the CTC receipts journal. He also reviewed the
numerous commission payments between CTC and Diesel Power during
those years. From his review, Mr. Dutton concluded that CTC had
received a total of $6,849,743.23 in commissions, and Diesel
Power actually had received $14,192,680.82 during this period.
Based upon Mr. Dutton's computation of amounts due from
commissions and his understanding of the commission splits, CTC
was entitled to an additional $395,016.07 from Diesel Power. Mr.
Dutton also concluded that the gross profits reported on
petitioner's original returns were correct, except for 1975 and
1976, which had understated commission income in the amounts of
$511,626.78 and $134,378, respectively. The understated
commission income was reported on amended returns for those
years. After these amended returns were filed, Mr. Dutton
concluded that, based on information about petitioner's holdings
available to him, all required amounts as reflected on the CTC
receipts journal had been properly included in petitioner's
income during 1975 and 1976.
- 21 -
In January 1978 Mr. Khalatbari withdrew all funds from and
closed the Diesel Power FNCB Geneva # 1 account and Diesel Power
Banque de Paris account. In March 1978 a second payment on the
Diesel Power stock sale was made by Mr. Khalatbari in the amount
of $625,000. The remaining payments due to petitioner under the
stock sale agreement were $700,000 in December 1978 and $265,000
in December 1979.
In May 1978 petitioner ordered a total of $240,000
transferred from an account at the Banque de Paris into the WHIP
Barclays Bahamas account. After ordering these funds to be
invested in a certificate of deposit, petitioner redeemed this
certificate of deposit prior to its maturation, as well as
another certificate of deposit in the amount of $361,211, and
ordered that the proceeds be deposited in the WHIP Barclays
Bahamas account. In December 1978 Mr. Dutton, on petitioner's
instructions, flew to the Bahamas and withdrew $610,000 from the
WHIP Barclays Bahamas account and deposited these funds into one
of petitioner's accounts in Ohio. These funds were not recorded
on the CTC receipts journal or petitioner's 1978 return or 1978
amended return. Mr. Dutton performed another analysis in 1979
from which he concluded that CTC was in possession of more than
$1,600,000 in Diesel Power commissions. On his return for 1979
petitioner reported $1,617,761 as income, claiming that Diesel
Power shareholders owed him a considerable amount on the sale
- 22 -
price of his Diesel Power stock, which was in excess of the
amount held by CTC, and that he refused to pay amounts owed to
Diesel Power under a claim of right.
II. Transactions With Manufacturers--Commission Income
During the years at issue there were numerous business
relationships between various manufacturers and petitioner, CTC,
or Diesel Power, which involved essentially three types of
services performed for the manufacturers: (1) Distributorship,
whereby the appointed distributor took title to the manufactured
goods until sold to the end-use customer; (2) representation
arrangements, whereby the representative promoted the sale of
manufactured products; and (3) consultancies, whereby advice and
expertise were provided in selling products. The income that
arose out of these relationships is referred to by respondent in
the notices of deficiency as "commission" income. The vast
majority of adjustments in dispute involve commissions that were
paid to CTC but treated as Diesel Power commissions on the CTC
receipts journals. The activities leading up to the adjustments
at issue with respect to each company are set forth below.
- 23 -
A. Lockheed
Petitioner did business with Lockheed Aircraft Corporation
(Lockheed)6 through four entities. One entity was a corporation
located in the Bahamas called Western Hemisphere Industrial &
Petroleum Corporation (WHIP), which was formed in 1969. WHIP
share certificates were issued in the names of nominees for
petitioner, although at one point WHIP is referred to by one
company as a nominee for the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
Petitioner had an ownership interest in WHIP. Price Waterhouse,
the resident agent for WHIP, was given instructions from
petitioner and was paid by petitioner. The banking and other
business activities of WHIP were handled by petitioner and his
CTC employees.
Petitioner's first expression of the idea to use the WHIP
entity appeared in a letter dated January 14, 1969, from
petitioner to Iran's then Prime Minister. Petitioner outlined
the terms of an agreement that he proposed to negotiate for the
purchase of oil by Iran, explaining that the "mechanics for
implementation" of the arrangement would involve WHIP.
Petitioner's letter also indicated that disposition of WHIP
shares would be at the discretion of the Prime Minister and that,
6
Petitioner participated in business transactions with a number of
companies and their affiliates. Respondent did not distinguish among these
affiliates in the notices of deficiency. For purposes of this opinion, it is
irrelevant which of the affiliates dealt with petitioner; therefore, we do not
distinguish between them in the findings of fact. Each company and all of its
relevant affiliates will be referred to under one generic name.
- 24 -
for interim purposes, petitioner and Dr. R. Fallah had been
nominated to the Board of Directors. However, petitioner and his
attorney later became WHIP directors. Dr. Fallah was a Director
of NIOC. Although Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Occidental)
referred to WHIP as a nominee of NIOC in a February 1969 letter
to Dr. Fallah, in a subsequent letter to another client,
petitioner referred to WHIP as "one of our operating companies".
Petitioner was able to tie this oil purchase by Iran to the
sale of Lockheed aircraft. In 1970 Lockheed indicated a
willingness to sell 24 Lockheed C-130 airplanes, including ground
support equipment, to the Imperial Iranian Air Force. The C-130
Hercules aircraft was a large military transport plane. While a
direct sale was not implemented, in 1970 an agreement was entered
into between petitioner's companies and Occidental; this
agreement was related to another agreement of the same date
between Occidental and NIOC. Pursuant to these agreements
Occidental purchased oil from NIOC; Occidental then paid for the
oil partly in cash and partly in C-130 Hercules aircraft that
Occidental purchased from Lockheed. Furthermore, according to
the agreement between petitioner and Occidental, Occidental was
to pay a fee to WHIP of 1 cent per barrel of oil that Occidental
purchased from NIOC. This fee to WHIP was "in consideration of
services rendered to date and that will continue to be rendered
- 25 -
in reaching and the implementation of the agreement" between
Occidental and NIOC.
By another letter agreement dated September 28, 1970, and
signed by petitioner on behalf of WHIP, Lockheed agreed to pay
WHIP for services rendered an amount not to exceed $1,229,700
under the arrangement with the Government of Iran for the C-130
aircraft. By letters of the same date, Lockheed entered into
three separate contracts with CTC, WHIP, and Diesel Power;
petitioner signed all three contracts on behalf of each company.
The payments due under each of these contracts were based upon a
percentage of Iran's payments to Lockheed. On January 11, 1971,
petitioner on behalf of CTC, WHIP, and Diesel Power signed
amended contracts with Lockheed. These amended contracts
provided that Lockheed would pay an additional advance payment to
CTC of $200,000 "in lieu of current payments otherwise due and
payable to Caspian, Western and Diesel under [the] * * *
Agreements." On October 1, 1971, the agreement with CTC again
was amended; Lockheed thereby agreed to pay CTC an additional fee
for "special services and assistance". In October 1971 Lockheed
also agreed to pay CTC 5 percent of the purchase price for the
sale of a C-130 Flight Simulator Mobile Training Unit to the
Iranian Government. After the value of the underlying contract
was reduced, in December 1972, the earlier agreements were again
- 26 -
modified to maintain the previously stated commission to "Mr.
Zand's companies" despite the reduction.
Another company used by petitioner in his dealings with
Lockheed was Sunvaco. Mr. Conley, a Lockheed official who had
met petitioner in 1971, was aware that petitioner, through WHIP,
already was Lockheed's representative for the sale of the C-130
aircraft. After this initial meeting, Mr. Conley and other
Lockheed officials met with petitioner, who introduced them to
Mr. Khalatbari and Mr. Zanganeh, and the three said they would
work as a group under the name of Sunvaco.7 On June 1, 1971,
Lockheed entered into a marketing consultant agreement with
petitioner and Sunvaco. Initially, petitioner and Sunvaco were
to receive a monthly retainer in the amount of $4,166.66.
Commission payments were to be set forth later. Petitioner
signed the agreement on behalf of himself and Sunvaco. On
October 29, 1971, this marketing agreement was modified to
provide a 3-percent commission to be paid on sales of Lockheed
Model P-3 Export Type Aircraft, a military aircraft. Further
amendments to this agreement and to the earlier agreement in
7
In 1981 petitioner wrote to Mr. Conley, who had been the president of
Lockheed's Tehran division, indicating that petitioner needed confirmation of
certain information in connection with an Internal Revenue Service
investigation that Lockheed had engaged the services of at least three
individuals when it retained Sunvaco. In response to petitioner's request,
Mr. Conley confirmed in writing his recollection that petitioner "did not have
all of the desirable capabilities to act as our marketing consultant in Iran"
and that he understood Sunvaco to involve the services of at least Khalatbari,
Zanganeh, and petitioner.
- 27 -
connection with the C-130 aircraft were made on December 7, 1972,
May 1, 1973, June 8, 1973, and January 16, 1974. Each of these
three amendments was signed by petitioner on behalf of himself
and Sunvaco.
Mr. Zanganeh was involved in Sunvaco transactions in some
respect. A 1972 letter from Lockheed to Mr. Zanganeh discusses
the terms and conditions contained in the agreement with Sunvaco
in connection with the TriStar Model L-1011 aircraft purchased by
Iran National Airlines. The letter asks Mr. Zanganeh to confirm
these terms on behalf of Sunvaco. Another version of the same
letter addressed to Mr. Zanganeh worded somewhat differently
affirmed, "Pursuant to Mr. J. J. Zand's request", Lockheed's
understanding of the fee arrangement with Sunvaco. The record
contains what appears to be a draft of a response by petitioner
to Lockheed's letter. Mr. Zanganeh was paid $80,000 out of the
WHIP account in 1972 and $75,000 out of a CTC account in 1974.
Petitioner reimbursed himself for the CTC payment by writing a
check to himself on the Diesel Power Bank of America account.
In addition to these payments to Mr. Zanganeh, petitioner
and his employees instructed Lockheed how to allocate and where
to mail commission payments required under the Lockheed
contracts. In 1971 petitioner also instructed Price Waterhouse
to transfer to an account in Switzerland $1,000,000 of the total
amount of $1,229,700 expected to be received by WHIP from
- 28 -
Lockheed under the September 28, 1970, agreement. Petitioner
further instructed Price Waterhouse that 80 percent of all other
amounts expected to be received by WHIP from other sources should
be transferred to the same account in Switzerland. Petitioner
gave similar instructions to Barclays Bank, the location of the
WHIP Barclays Bahamas account, that 80 percent of all future
deposits should be transferred to an account in the name of WHIP
at the Banque de Paris. There is no other evidence in the record
concerning the disposition of funds to or from the WHIP Swiss
account. In 1975 petitioner signed for Sunvaco and himself a
certificate of compliance under the marketing and consulting
agreement, certifying that the contract requirements had been
satisfied and that payment of $481,600 was due and owing. As
with the WHIP contracts, petitioner also directed how and to
which company payments from Lockheed on the Sunvaco contracts
were to be made.
Petitioner expended considerable effort on behalf of
Lockheed for the sale of military aircraft to the Government of
Iran. Mr. Kotchian was the President of Lockheed who originally
hired petitioner for the C-130 sale. Mr. Kotchian dealt
extensively with petitioner with regard to attempts to sell
Lockheed products in Iran, and he was under the impression that
petitioner was Lockheed's Iranian consultant. He did not know of
- 29 -
CTC, Diesel Power, WHIP, or Sunvaco; he had heard of Mr.
Khalatbari, but he did not know Mr. Zanganeh.
By an agreement dated August 1, 1974, Diesel Power became a
distributor for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc. Although
the copy of this agreement in the record is unsigned, a
handwritten note attached to a copy sent to a CTC employee
indicates that Mr. Khalatbari had signed it on July 24, 1974.
None of the amounts at issue were earned by Diesel Power under
this agreement.
B. Payments by Lockheed
In the notice of deficiency for 1972 respondent adjusted
petitioner's income from Lockheed in the amount of $1,013,084.34,
which is equivalent to the two amounts Lockheed paid to WHIP and
Diesel Power in 1972, as follows. During the taxable year 1972
Lockheed issued checks payable to CTC in the total amount of
$418,111.59, which were recorded in CTC's cash receipts journal
and were deposited in the CTC CNB account. This amount is not in
dispute. During 1972 Lockheed also issued 12 checks to Diesel
Power which totaled $594,972.75. All but one of these checks
were deposited during 1972 into the Diesel Power Bank of America
account. It is unknown where the remaining check was deposited.
None of the amounts of these 12 checks was recorded in the 1972
CTC receipts journal. During 1972 Lockheed also issued 12 checks
to WHIP which totaled $418,111.41. Four of these checks,
- 30 -
totaling $171,806.42, were deposited into the WHIP Barclays
Bahamas account during 1972. The record does not indicate where
the remaining checks were deposited. None of the amounts paid by
Lockheed to WHIP during 1972 was recorded in the 1972 CTC
receipts journals. Lockheed issued the checks in the names of
CTC, Diesel Power, and WHIP in accordance with instructions from
petitioner or a CTC employee. Petitioner reported no dividend or
other gross income from WHIP on his income tax return for 1972.
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Lockheed by $657,735.96, which is the
sum of amounts paid to WHIP and Diesel Power in 1973 as follows.
During 1973 Lockheed paid Diesel Power a total of $466,147.55,
which was deposited into the Diesel Power Bank of America
account. None of this amount was recorded in the 1973 CTC
receipts journal. During 1973 Lockheed made payments to WHIP in
the total amount of $191,588.41, which were deposited into the
WHIP Barclays Bahamas account. These payments were not recorded
in CTC's cash receipts journal for 1973. Petitioner reported no
income from WHIP on his income tax return for 1973.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Lockheed by $995,543.23. During 1974
Lockheed paid CTC $226,920.17 in connection with the C-130 sales
and $270,851.40 in connection with the P-3 aircraft sales, which
were deposited into CTC's CNB account. These amounts were
- 31 -
recorded as commissions on the 1974 CTC receipts journal and are
not at issue. During 1974 Lockheed issued checks to Diesel Power
in the total amount of $995,543.23, all of which were deposited
into the Diesel Power Bank of America account. Lockheed issued
these checks payable to Diesel Power in accordance with
petitioner's instructions. Lockheed, WHIP, and Sunvaco are not
listed on Diesel Power's financial statements for the periods
ending March 20, 1974, and March 20, 1975. None of these checks
was reflected on the 1974 CTC cash receipts journal.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Lockheed by $331,862.92. During the
taxable year 1975 Lockheed issued checks payable to CTC in the
total amount of $162,622.03. These checks were recorded in CTC's
1975 cash receipts journal; were deposited into CTC's CNB bank
account; were reported by petitioner as gross income for 1975;
and are not at issue. During the taxable year 1975 Lockheed
issued checks payable to Diesel Power in the total amount of
$331,862.92. These checks were issued in accordance with
petitioner's instructions. At least some of these checks were
payment in connection with the sale of P-3 aircraft. With the
exception of one check in the amount of $6,618.86, all of these
checks were deposited into the Diesel Power Bank of America
account. None of these checks was included by petitioner in his
1975 gross income.
- 32 -
In a letter dated May 13, 1975, a senior vice president of
Lockheed sent petitioner a letter expressing concern over
communications that had been brought to his attention suggesting
that the Government of Iran might refuse to do business with
companies that used middlemen, such as petitioner, in offering
products for sale to Iran. Petitioner responded to Lockheed by
explaining that the policy of Iran was to continue doing business
with legitimate representatives. In July 1975, petitioner was
interviewed by U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee personnel
concerning possible questionable payments to foreign government
officials in connection with product sales. After this
interview, the record shows no Lockheed commission payments to
either Diesel Power or CTC. On January 28, 1976, the
Lockheed/Zand/Sunvaco agreement was terminated effective
October 10, 1975. The termination was a result of the U.S.
investigation into Lockheed's use of consultants. The
termination agreement was signed by petitioner on his own behalf
and on behalf of Sunvaco.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's commission and fee income from Lockheed by $321,066.
Lockheed issued a check dated January 26, 1976, to Sunvaco and
petitioner in the amount of $481,600. This check was mailed to
petitioner's Columbus, Ohio, address and was deposited in full
into the CTC CNB account. Of this amount $100,000 was paid by
- 33 -
Lockheed in settlement of an outstanding obligation for the sales
of the P-3 aircraft; $381,600 was attributable to a Lockheed
contract obligation for the C-130 aircraft. The 1976 CTC cash
receipts journal lists $321,066 of this payment (approximately
two-thirds) as "Commissions-DPTC" and the remaining $160,533.34
as "Commissions-Caspian". Petitioner included $160,533.34 of
this termination payment in his 1976 gross income and excluded
the remaining $321,066.
In an attachment to a letter dated June 20, 1979, from
Mr. Stephen E. Dutton to Williams & Connolly, Mr. Dutton outlined
the following summary of WHIP receipts and disbursements that he
indicated he had prepared from bank statements:
Receipts:
Lockheed $1,476,786.58
Banque de Paris 240,000.00
Interest 111,211.00
Galion 110,000.00
Diesel Power 47,000.00
- 34 -
Disbursements:
Banque de Paris $880,000.00
Minora (DPC) 115,000.00
Galion 10,000.00
FK (Tonekaboni) 100,000.00
Zanganeh 80,000.00
Swiss Credit Bank #29934 83,000.00
Price Waterhouse 2,248.85
FNCB-London 2,500.00
Bank & Check Charges 135.19
C. Ashland
On April 4, 1974, Ashland Bermuda Limited (Ashland) entered
into an agreement with All Patents Corporation Limited (All
Patents) whereby Ashland hired All Patents as a consultant in
negotiations between Ashland and NIOC. These negotiations were
in connection with the purchase of crude oil to be used in a
joint venture involving the operation of refineries in the United
States. The name of the signer for All Patents is
unrecognizable. The agreement provided that Ashland would pay
All Patents a fee of 3 cents per barrel of oil that NIOC sold to
Ashland in exchange for, by its own terms, "personal services"
provided by All Patents. Under this and other agreements with
Ashland, All Patents was a consultant providing technical
assistance and other services in connection with NIOC's supply of
crude oil to Ashland. There were also previously in place two
- 35 -
agreements dated May 18, 1973, and December 7, 1973, between
Ashland and the Banque de Paris. By these agreements Banque de
Paris was to provide technical advice and assistance in
connection with the joint venture in exchange for a fee.
Although Ashland representatives did not know who the legal
owners of All Patents were, it was understood by Ashland that All
Patents was an affiliate of petitioner. Orin Atkins was the
president of Ashland from 1964 to 1981. Mr. Atkins retained the
services of petitioner in Ashland's efforts to purchase crude oil
from Iran with the expectation that, because of petitioner's
fluency with the language, his familiarity with the country, and
his business success in both Iran and the United States,
petitioner would help to facilitate the arrangement of meetings
with Iranian officials and help to shape Ashland strategy in
Iran. Petitioner was an intermediary who helped Ashland
interpret the Iranian mood in Ashland's strategy development for
these projects. Petitioner also participated in negotiations and
helped to arrange and prepare for meetings with Iranian
officials, including the Shah of Iran. Except for a meeting with
the Shah, Mr. Atkins was accompanied by petitioner at almost all
his meetings with Iranian officials.
The primary contact person in the Iranian Government for
these negotiations on behalf of Ashland was Dr. Fallah, who also
had some involvement in petitioner's business dealings with
- 36 -
Lockheed. Petitioner wrote to Dr. Fallah on "J.J. Zand,
Consultant" stationery in October 1973 concerning a meeting he
had in New York pertaining to organizing a joint venture between
Ashland, NIOC, and others. Petitioner was present during
meetings between Ashland and Dr. Fallah, with whom Mr. Atkins
believed petitioner had a close relationship. Petitioner
sometimes met with Dr. Fallah on Ashland's behalf without other
Ashland representatives. Mr. Atkins understood that petitioner
also was well acquainted with Prime Minister Hoveyda, a
relationship which was helpful to Ashland's business negotiations
with Iran. While Dr. Fallah and Mr. Atkins were the principals
in the negotiations between NIOC and Ashland, petitioner was the
liaison between them. Petitioner was described in a 1973
memorandum by Mrs. Priscilla Meier, an employee of CTC, to a
potential client as one of the creators of the entire
Ashland/NIOC agreement. In another 1973 letter petitioner
outlined to Mr. Atkins his plan for an Ashland/Iranian joint
venture. Correspondence in 1974 concerning the Ashland
relationship with NIOC came to petitioner personally. There is
little or no evidence of participation by either All Patents or
Diesel Power in any of the Ashland negotiations.
Petitioner also was involved with an ultimately unsuccessful
proposed joint venture between Lar Exploration, a subsidiary of
Ashland, and NIOC involving a contract to explore for oil and gas
- 37 -
in Iran. Although the Lar Exploration consultancy agreement was
signed by someone by the name of Betterman, petitioner performed
the work by providing the contacts, advising strategy, and
handling the negotiations. Petitioner's advice for this project
continued for about 3 years, including multiple crude oil
contracts. Petitioner was also involved in negotiations for two
other unsuccessful refining and marketing joint ventures that
Ashland was interested in developing with Iran. One was a
refining joint venture owned by Ashland in Buffalo, New York,
that reached the letter of understanding or letter of intent
stage but never resulted in a definitive contract. In 1976
petitioner negotiated another barter arrangement between General
Dynamics Corporation and Ashland. There was no involvement by
Diesel Power employees in this arrangement.
On April 18, 1975, petitioner was asked to sign a document
at La Guardia Airport addressed to All Patents, c/o the Banque de
Paris, which stated:
During the period 1973 through 1974, Ashland's records
show that firms or persons which you represent, received
payments, including the following:
Date Amount
Payment received for
Mr. James Zand June 6, 1973 $12,500
Date Amount
Payment to account of
Interrep, S.A. for the
group represented by
Mr. James Zand Sept. 30, 1973 $100,000
- 38 -
Payment received for All
Patents Corp. Ltd. Dec. 19, 1974 $200,000
Payments to All Patents
pursuant to agreement
dated April 4, 1974: March 28, 1974 $164,909
Sept, 13, 1974 $166,447
Dec. 9, 1974 $ 41,419
Feb. 19, 1975 $ 69,078
Payment to All Patents
pursuant to agreement
dated October 15, 1974 Oct. 1974 $900,000
Petitioner dated and signed his name on lines directly below a
statement in the same document that read:
The above information regarding payments made to firms
or persons which I represent by Ashland or its subsidiaries
is correct and I have no knowledge of any amounts received
by me which were returned to Ashland, its subsidiaries,
directors, employees or other representatives and I did not
make any U. S. political contributions at the direction of
Ashland.
The same letter was sent to the Banque de Paris and signed by
that bank's President, Mr. Michel.
As discussed previously, during 1975 there was an
investigation of Ashland by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. On July 21, 1975, petitioner created an internal
memorandum indicating that "Caspian must charge Diesel Power's
account 40% of the moneys paid by Ashland to the account of All-
Patent Corporation * * * . This 40% is to cover the expenses we
have incurred in pursuit of the Ashland business for which they
paid these expenses." In an "Aide Memoire" dated July 23, 1975,
petitioner noted that he had told a member of the Senate Foreign
- 39 -
Relations Committee, which was looking into drafting legislation
making it a crime to pay bribes to foreign officials, that he was
not aware of any improper payments to foreign officials. He also
stated:
I emphasized the fact that it was I who sought Ashland and
who prevailed upon them to come to Iran and who assisted
them in developing their programs for Iran. * * * .
* * * * * * *
I stated that ever since the inception of my relationship
with Ashland six years ago, my companies paid our own way
* * * .
Petitioner indicated that he had told the Committee that no
one in the Government of Iran had made any demands for "under-
the-table" payments. On January 6, 1976, petitioner signed an
affidavit for an unknown purpose stating that he had not made,
and in the future would not make, any payments from funds paid to
him by Ashland that he knew or had reason to know were illegal in
the jurisdiction in which the payment was made.
D. Payments by Ashland
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Ashland by $120,900. In August 1973,
Ashland issued a wire transfer of $100,000, payable to a bank
account in the name of Interrep. S.A. (Interrep), account number
29893C. These funds were deposited in an account at the Banque
de Paris. The stated purpose for this wire transfer was
"Consulting done in relation to Iranian Venture".
- 40 -
With regard to Interrep and its relation to petitioner, an
Ashland report to the Board of Directors dated June 26, 1975, in
connection with an investigation of Ashland's political
contributions, describes certain interactions between Ashland and
Interrep but contains no reference to petitioner personally.
There are only two documents in evidence that draw any link
between petitioner and Interrep. The first document states that
the $100,000 paid by Ashland to Interrep constituted "Prepayment
of part of anticipated fees payable in respect to New York
Venture". This document further states that there were four
additional payments, as follows:
Payee Date Amount Purpose
J. J. Zand 6-6-73 $12,500 Fees related to
Iranian
participation
project
J. J. Zand 7-9-73 3,000 O. E. Atkins
check for
riyals Zand
advanced to
Atkins in
Teheran
J. J. Zand 7-11-73 400 Gifts for
NIOC
J. J. Zand 11-29-73 5,000 Reimburse for
Teheran hotel
bills, dinner
party and
entertainment
of Ambd. & Dr.
Fallah
- 41 -
The $5,000 payment to petitioner for reimbursement of certain
items listed above is also referred to in a separate 1973 letter
from Ashland to petitioner. This letter contained a check for
$5,000 and described it as a reimbursement.
The second document linking petitioner to Interrep is a
letter from Ashland to All Patents requesting verification of
payments received from Ashland and requesting confirmation that
there was no knowledge on the part of the signer (who was
petitioner) that he had made any U.S. political contributions on
behalf of Ashland. Petitioner's signature appears at the bottom
of this letter. One of the payments listed in the second
document was a $100,000 "Payment to account of Interrep, S.A. for
the group represented by Mr. James Zand". This amount from
Interrep was neither included in CTC's cash receipts journal as a
receipt nor reported as income by petitioner.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Ashland by $1,472,775.68. In 1974
Ashland issued five checks in the total amount of $1,472,776.12
to or for All Patents. The stated purpose of four of the five
checks was either "commission", "commission on crude oil
purchased from NIOC", or "advice and services rendered to Ashland
Oil, Inc., in connection with purchase of oil from National
Iranian Oil Company and other business activities in Iran". The
fifth check for $900,000 was a commission payment related to the
- 42 -
Lar Exploration project. None of the amounts of these checks was
recorded on CTC's cash receipts journal or included in
petitioner's 1974 gross income.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Ashland by $452,328.45, which is the sum
of $69,078.45 and $383,250. Ashland issued a check payable to
the Banque de Paris for All Patents on February 20, 1975, in the
amount of $69,078.45 and a check payable to All Patents in the
amount of $383,250 on April 21, 1975. Both checks were deposited
in the Diesel Power Banque de Paris account. Ashland is not
reflected as a client or a source of income on Diesel Power's
financial statements for the periods ending March 20, 1974, or
March 20, 1975. Neither of these payments was included in
petitioner's 1975 gross income.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Ashland by $198,750. By an assignment
agreement dated December 15, 1975, All Patents and the Banque de
Paris assigned to petitioner their rights under the
April 4, 1974, agreement with Ashland. The assignment agreement
was signed by someone named "Betterman" on behalf of All Patents.
By a letter agreement in December 1975, agreements between
Ashland and All Patents were terminated. In December 1975,
Ashland issued a check in the amount of $265,000 payable to
petitioner. The payment was described in the particulars section
- 43 -
of the receipt stub as being "in consideration of release and
termination of agreements with All Patents Corporation Limited
and James J. Zand". An Ashland memorandum transmitting the
request for this check states that this check "will be used in
payment for the termination and settlement of all obligations to
All Patents * * * and James J. Zand under Letter Agreements dated
May 18, 1973, December 7, 1973, and April 4, 1974." This check
was returned and, subsequently, in early 1976 Ashland reissued
payment of the $265,000 to petitioner. This payment was
deposited to the Zand CNB Columbus account. On the 1976 CTC
receipts journal, 75 percent of this payment was allocated as a
commission for Diesel Power; 25 percent was allocated as a
commission for CTC. Petitioner reported 25 percent of this
$265,000, or $66,250, on his return for the taxable year 1976; he
did not report the balance of $198,750.
E. General Motors
In a document dated April 25, 1969, General Motors Overseas
Operations Division of General Motors (GM) appointed CTC as Sales
Representative to act in promoting the sale by GM of diesel
locomotives, related spare parts, supplies, and equipment
manufactured by GM for use in Iran. In consideration of CTC's
services as sales representative, GM agreed to pay CTC a
commission of 3 percent of the sales. The document also
provided:
- 44 -
Neither this agreement nor any right or obligation hereunder
nor the payment of any commission that Representative may
hereafter accrue hereunder shall be transferable or
assignable by Representative, or any assignee hereof,
without GM's prior written approval.
This document was signed by petitioner on June 16, 1969, and thus
became what we refer to hereafter as the 1969 GM-Caspian
agreement. On May 8, 1969, GM entered into a separate agreement
with Diesel Power whereby Diesel Power agreed to act as a
distributor of GM Detroit Diesel engines in Iran. This agreement
was signed by petitioner as "Chairman" of Diesel Power.
There was considerable correspondence between petitioner or
CTC employees and GM over the next several years concerning such
matters as where to send notices, various orders, and where
commissions should be sent and in what amount. CTC also
requested that Diesel Power furnish CTC with invoices for orders.
Petitioner periodically provided GM with reviews of his
negotiations on behalf of GM, and in a 1975 letter to GM
reviewing the history of his relationship with GM, indicated that
this relationship involved petitioner individually as well as his
"associates". Petitioner kept track of all commissions received
from GM.
Diesel Power also had direct contact with GM. For example,
a GM employee dealt with Mr. Khalatbari in the contract
negotiations for the sale of 51 locomotives to the Iranian
Government. This same employee also dealt with Mr. Khalatbari in
- 45 -
July 1970 to establish lines of credit with the Export-Import
Bank and GM in favor of the Iranian Government in connection with
the purchase of the 51 locomotives from GM. In 1974 GM again
dealt with Diesel Power employees with regard to electrification
of certain sections of the railroad lines in Iran and the
possibility of substituting a GM electric locomotive for a diesel
locomotive.
However, GM viewed petitioner as being the ultimate
responsible person. For example, a 1974 letter from GM to
petitioner asks that petitioner confirm GM's understanding that
petitioner and Mr. Khalatbari had agreed to pay certain extra
expenses incurred in connection with negotiations leading to a
contract for the sale of locomotives for the Iranian State
Railways. On June 26, 1973, the Iranian State Railways sent a
letter to GM asking if Diesel Power was GM's representative for
transactions related to diesel electric locomotives and spare
parts. A CTC employee responded to GM that "Mr. Zand does want
you to reply indicating Diesel Power Trading Company is not your
representative since, in fact, I believe Caspian (CTC) is the
authorized distributor." Petitioner also responded personally
with the following suggested language to be used by GM in
replying to the Iranian State Railways, "inasmuch as, in fact,
and in truth Diesel Power is neither your representative nor
distributor in Iran":
- 46 -
In reply to your letter * * * , please be advised that the
firm of Diesel Power Trading Company of Teheran mentioned in
your letter are not our representatives in respect of
transactions for Diesel electric locomotives and the
relative spare parts that we conduct with you, sell you or
ship to you.
GM sent a response containing very similar language to the
Iranian State Railways shortly thereafter. In a subsequent
letter to CTC dated October 30, 1973, Diana Khalatbari (then
Diana Zand) stated as follows:
More and more, we are concluding transactions with
government agencies. Before obtaining letters of credit,
all government agencies require a statement from the
manufacturers legalized by the Iranian Consulate certifying
that we are their authorized sole distributors. * * * .
Please ask the following companies to prepare such a
statement * * * .
1. General Motors
2. Ingersoll-Rand
3. Galion
4. Clark Equipment Company (both ITD and CMD)
5. P&H
The 3-percent sales commission rate in the 1969 GM-Caspian
agreement was modified twice during 1974 to 3-3/4 percent and 4
percent in connection with the sale of additional locomotives.
Both modification letters were accepted by petitioner on behalf
of CTC.
During 1976 even after he relinquished a portion of his
Diesel Power stock, petitioner continued to represent to GM that
he had control over Diesel Power. In February petitioner wrote a
letter to GM stating:
- 47 -
In my capacity as chairman of Diesel Power Company and as
owner and General Manager of Caspian Trading Company, I
hereby authorize Detroit Diesel Allison to forward all
statements of account and commission statements for both
Diesel Power Company and Caspian Trading Company to Caspian
Trading Company * * * .
This letter will also serve as authorization for Caspian
Trading Company to collect all commissions payable on a
monthly basis on both Diesel Power Company's and Caspian
Trading Company's commission accounts. * * *
Shortly thereafter, GM terminated the 1969 GM-Caspian agreement
with CTC. Petitioner agreed by signing the letter of termination
on April 9, 1976. On November 1, 1976, Diesel Power and GM
entered into another agreement for the distribution, sales, and
servicing of GM engines and transmissions. This agreement was
signed for Diesel Power by an unknown person other than
petitioner, possibly Mr. Khalatbari, who was identified as
"Managing Director".
In addition to sales to Iran, petitioner also received
payments from GM for certain sales to Pakistan. In
February 1974, GM appointed CTC as sales representative to
promote the sale of GM diesel locomotives in Pakistan. This
agreement, by its terms, was to terminate on February 19, 1975,
unless extended by mutual agreement. It was signed on
March 14, 1974, by an unidentifiable person as attorney-in-fact
for petitioner. The agreement contained the same non-
assignability clause as is found in the 1969 GM-Caspian
agreement. GM further communicated with petitioner in a February
- 48 -
1974 letter about the Pakistani sale. Chatru Khilnani
(Mr. Khilnani) also was a distributor for GM for the Pakistani
market. Although petitioner indicated to Mr. Khilnani a
willingness to pay Mr. Khilnani no more than 70 percent of the
commission earned on the Pakistani locomotive sale and to pay for
Mr. Khilnani's travel expenses in connection therewith,
subsequently, there was a dispute about commissions. On
July 13, 1974, petitioner met with Mr. Kandawalla, who was
Mr. Khilnani's associate, and Mr. Kandawalla required at least 70
percent of the commissions earned in Pakistan. Petitioner
dictated a memo to the file noting that he agreed to pay Mr.
Khilnani the 70 percent requested because:
Actually, on this job I never had to go to Pakistan and I
did not put out a sales' effort (Sabety only went to
Pakistan during the bid opening), and in all sincerity and
fairness, I did not think we were entitled to more.
Petitioner's diary indicates that he had conferences with
Mr. Khilnani or Mr. Kandawalla on four occasions during 1974 and
1975, three prior to dictating this memo and one afterwards. On
February 24, 1975, GM sent petitioner a letter on the subject of
"Pakistan Railways 68 EMD Locomotives" which states:
"For obvious reasons Caspian Tradings name was used as the
official agent. Caspian Trading is only acting as a pass through
account to the real agent who is Chatru Khilnani for these pass
through services." Petitioner attended at least one meeting
- 49 -
during 1976 with Mr. Khilnani and Mr. Khalatbari at the London
office concerning the Pakistani sale. Petitioner apparently
hired Mr. Khilnani to do some other work for him in Pakistan on
matters unrelated to this case.
F. Payments Made by General Motors
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from GM in the amount of $8,176.37. In the
amendment to answer respondent asserted an increase in
petitioner's 1973 income from GM to $17,943.61. During 1973 GM
deposited £7,824.99 (British pounds) into the Zand FNCB London
account, the equivalent of $18,146.15. This amount was not
recorded in the 1973 CTC receipts journal.
There are two GM commission amounts at issue for 1974. The
first is a determination in the notice of deficiency for 1974
that there was $414,855.46 in unreported "per books" income from
GM. This amount is a portion of certain checks paid by GM to CTC
for the sale of locomotives to Iran in the total amount of
$608,194.47. All of these checks were deposited in full into the
CTC CNB account. The CTC cash receipts journal showed
$166,353.43 of this total amount as commissions earned by CTC.
Petitioner included this amount in his 1974 income. The balance
of $441,841.04 is shown as commissions earned by Diesel Power and
was not reported by petitioner on his 1974 return. The second
amount from GM at issue for 1974 involves payments from GM that
- 50 -
were deposited into the Zand FNCB London account. In the notice
of deficiency for 1974 respondent determined that there was
$13,221.35 in "other unreported" income from GM. In the
amendment to answer respondent asserted that petitioner failed to
report 1974 income from GM in the amount of $25,260.24. During
1974 GM deposited a total of £10,760.20 into the Zand FNCB London
account after CTC corrected the amount and gave instructions as
to the deposit location. This was equivalent to $25,260.24.
None of this amount was recorded in the CTC cash receipts journal
for the taxable year 1974 or as 1974 income by petitioner.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent determined
that there was $1,589.04 in "other unreported" income. In the
amendment to answer respondent asserted that the notice of
deficiency incorrectly included $507.21 as unreported income and
that the correct amount should have been $1,204.12. On
April 25, 1975, GM deposited £507.21 into the Zand FNCB London
account. Petitioner concedes that this amount was equivalent to
$1,204.12. None of this amount was included in the CTC receipts
journal for 1975. In the notice of deficiency for 1975
respondent also determined that petitioner had "Per Books
Unreported" income from GM of $1,050,285.15. During 1975 GM paid
CTC commissions in the total amount of $1,995,906.02, all of
which were deposited into the CTC CNB account. Petitioner
included $435,034.98 of this amount in gross income on his 1975
- 51 -
return. However, petitioner did not include the remaining
$1,560,871.04. Of this amount $1,049,244.20 was attributed in
the CTC receipts journal to Diesel Power commissions. Moreover,
at least two of GM's total 1975 commission payments, in the
amounts of $334,333.17 and $396,562.22, were commissions for
locomotives in Pakistan. CTC paid approximately 70 percent of
these Pakistani commissions, in the amounts of $234,033.22 and
$277,593.56,8 to Mr. Khilnani's Amelia Corporation. Petitioner
did not include the amount of the payments to the Amelia
Corporation as income in the 1975 CTC receipts journal or include
them in his 1975 income. Petitioner did, however, later include
the Amelia Corporation payments in an amended return.9 On the CTC
cash receipts journal, the balance of $100,299.95 and $118,968.66
was split between CTC and Diesel Power, 40 percent for the
former, 60 percent for the latter.
8
Payment was stopped on this check because it was lost in the mail, and,
on Feb. 2, 1976, Mrs. Conway confirmed a telephone request to transfer
$277,593.56 from the CTC CNB account to an account in the name of the Amelia
Corporation in Geneva.
9
On Dec. 20, 1976, petitioner filed an Amended U.S. Individual Income
Tax Return for the taxable year 1975 on matters unrelated to this issue. On
Feb. 22, 1978, a second Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return was filed by
petitioner for the taxable year 1975. On the latter return, petitioner
increased his previously reported commission income by $511,627 which is
equivalent to the sum of the two previously discussed 1975 payments to Amelia
Corporation. On the 1975 second amended return, petitioner also increased his
commission expense by this same amount. Adjustment a.3. of the notice of
deficiency for 1975 decreased petitioner's reported commission expense in the
amount $355,112.79. Of this adjustment $234,033.22 is attributable to
payments made by CTC to the Amelia Corporation.
- 52 -
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent made
adjustments in connection with payments from GM for "per books
unreported" income of $1,112,550.51, "other" income of
$34,980.77, a "Deposit to F.N.C.B." of $38,585.50, and additional
other income of $34,377.70.10 During 1976 a portion of the
commissions paid by GM to CTC was equal to a total amount of
$1,482,524.70. These payments were deposited to the CTC CNB
account. The 1976 CTC receipts journal allocated $385,343.07 of
this amount to CTC as commissions and $1,062,803.40 of this
amount to Diesel Power as commissions. The remaining $34,377.70
was noted on the CTC cash receipts journal as "Trans" and is
equivalent to an amount petitioner sent to the Amelia Corporation
in 1976. GM also issued a commission check in 1976 payable to
CTC in the amount of $11,581.51, and four checks to Diesel Power
in the total amount of $121,926.94, for a total of $133,508.45.
On CTC's cash receipts journal, these checks were allocated
$53,402.77 to CTC and $80,105.08 to Diesel Power. The total
amount allocated to Diesel Power on CTC's 1976 receipts journal
10
We are unable to explain the $30,357.89 difference between the amount
recorded in the CTC receipts journal as attributable to Diesel Power and the
amount alleged to be "per books unreported" by respondent in the notice of
deficiency. Part of adjustment a.3. for 1976 also proposes an adjustment for
commission expense in the amount of $361,971.26.
- 53 -
for the above amounts was $1,142,908.40, which was not included
in petitioner's 1976 income.11
There also were payments from GM in 1976 that were not
recorded in the CTC receipts journal. On February 3, 1976, a
deposit from GM was made to the Zand FNCB London account in the
amount of £38,585.50. Neither this deposit nor its dollar
equivalent was recorded as a receipt on the CTC receipts journal.
At the average monthly exchange rate for February 1976,
£38,585.50 was equivalent to $78,058.47. Although the notice of
deficiency lists this as an "Deposit to F.N.C.B." of $38,585.50
in U.S. currency, in the amendment to answer respondent asserts
that there was a increased deficiency with respect to this
deposit to reflect the correct amount in U.S. currency. On April
27, 1976, a deposit was made by GM to the same account in the
amount of £34,980.77. Neither this deposit nor its dollar
equivalent was recorded as a receipt in the CTC receipts journal.
At the average monthly exchange rate for April 1976, this deposit
was equivalent to $64,644.76. Although this deposit was listed
in the notice of deficiency as $34,980.77 in the amendment to
answer respondent asserts that there was an increased deficiency
with respect to this deposit to reflect the correct amount in
U.S. currency.
11
We are unable to explain the difference between this figure and the
amount on the notice of deficiency for "Per Books Unreported" income of
$1,112,550.51.
- 54 -
In the notice of deficiency for 1977 respondent determined
that there was unreported income equivalent to all commissions
attributed to Diesel Power on the CTC receipts journal,
$17,878.24 of which was received from GM; and that petitioner had
unreported commission income from "D.D.A."--a division of GM--in
the amount of $94,743.27. During 1977 the CTC receipts journal
shows receipt from GM of the total amount of $24,134.01. Of this
amount $6,255.77 was recorded in the CTC receipts journal as CTC
commissions; $17,878.24 was recorded as Diesel Power commissions.
All but $7.93 of this total amount was deposited to the CTC CNB
account. Furthermore, in December 1977, CTC received additional
payments from GM in the total amount of $94,742.66. These
payments were deposited in the CTC CNB account and were recorded
on CTC's 1977 cash receipts journal as "Refunds/Reimbursements".
G. SEDCO/IMICO
Prior to 1973 CTC had sold equipment for one of its other
customers to SEDCO International, S.A. (SEDCO) and to a related
company called IMICO.
During 1973 petitioner entered into a joint venture with a
company called Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc. (Stewart &
Stevenson). Under this agreement, a stock of spare parts would
be placed at a location in Iran for resale to SEDCO, IMICO, or
any other customer in the Middle East. The parts were to be
owned by the joint venture until sold. Payments for these parts
- 55 -
were to be deposited into the CTC CNB account. Although
initially it was discussed as being a 50/50 arrangement between
petitioner personally and Stewart & Stevenson, it later was
decided to form the venture between Diesel Power and Stewart &
Stevenson.
At the same time, there was an agreement between IMICO and
Diesel Power for IMICO to construct a warehouse for storage of
the parts. Diesel Power was to pay IMICO rent for use of the
warehouse. Petitioner signed this agreement on behalf of Diesel
Power. However, Diesel Power was not actually involved in
petitioner's agreements with SEDCO or IMICO. For example, a
Diesel Power individual asked CTC to please inform IMICO with
regard to the rental payments for which Diesel Power had received
bills that "this is not a DPTC project". Subsequently, Stewart &
Stevenson sold its interest in the joint venture to SEDCO.
Although there is evidence that petitioner and his CTC employees
were personally involved in the SEDCO joint venture project,
there is no evidence of any involvement in this project by Diesel
Power employees. Diesel Power was merely informed of the
arrangement after it was established. Under this arrangement,
CTC provided quotations to SEDCO for various types of equipment.
Diesel Power was not involved in the preparation or presentation
of these quotations, other than to be sent copies of them.
- 56 -
During 1976 petitioner arranged for IMICO to be appointed
the dealer within a certain location in Iran for Detroit Diesel
Allison spare parts and engines under Diesel Power's
distributorship in Iran. Furthermore, in 1976 petitioner and CTC
assisted SEDCO in obtaining for IMICO a full service dealership
of Detroit Diesel Allison products in Iran. Diesel Power was not
involved in negotiating these arrangements. It was understood
between CTC and Diesel Power that Diesel Power was not entitled
to any commissions earned in connection with the IMICO dealership
project. In 1977 Mrs. Conway of CTC wrote a memorandum to the
file in which she stated:
Due to the upheaval caused by the Lockheed situation
Detroit Diesel Allison and Ingersoll-Rand have advised that
commissions payments issued in the name of Diesel Power
Company can no longer be mailed to Caspian Trading Company.
In fact regulations have become so stringent that both
manufacturers are restricted to mailing commissions to the
distributor in the country in which the distributorship is
held. This if course means payments must be mailed directly
to Diesel Power in Teheran.
Since Farshid will be in the country next week, it will
be necessary to establish procedure for Diesel Power to
receive these commission checks and to return to Caspian
its' share of the commission. Caspian, of course, will
retain 100% of all commission on the dealership agreement
with Imico. [Emphasis added.]
H. Payments by SEDCO, IMICO, Stewart & Stevenson
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Stewart & Stevenson by $1,000. This
alleged payment is not reflected on the 1973 CTC receipts
- 57 -
journal. In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent also
increased petitioner's income from IMICO by $7,752.15. During
1973 the CTC receipts journal reflects receipts from IMICO or
IMISS12 in the total amount of $52,777.81. This amount was
deposited in the CTC CNB account and was allocated as $5,168.06
in commissions to CTC, $7,752.15 in commissions to Diesel Power,
and $39,857.60 in costs of purchases.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent increased
petitioner's income from SEDCO by $64,394.40. During 1974 SEDCO
issued checks payable to CTC in the total amount of $744,226.49,
all of which were deposited in the CTC CNB account. This total
amount was recorded in the 1974 CTC receipts journal as
$42,929.60 in commissions for CTC, $64,394.40 in commissions for
Diesel Power, and $636,902.49 in purchases.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent also
increased petitioner's income from Stewart & Stevenson by
$13,002.61. The CTC receipts journal for 1974 lists payments
from Stewart & Stevenson of a total amount of $21,671.01, which
was deposited into the CTC CNB account. This Stewart & Stevenson
amount was allocated in the CTC receipts journal as $8,668.40 in
commissions to CTC, and $13,002.61 in commissions to Diesel
Power.
12
Although we have been unable to identify the relationship, we assume
that IMISS is an affiliate of IMICO.
- 58 -
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent also
increased petitioner's income from IMICO/IMISS by $581.27. The
CTC receipts journal for 1974 reflects a payment from IMICO/IMISS
of $16,468.68, which was deposited in the CTC CNB account. Of
this amount, $387.51 was recorded as a commission for CTC,
$581.27 was recorded as a commission for Diesel Power, and
$15,499.90 was recorded as a purchase.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's income from SEDCO by $54,080.33. The CTC receipts
journal for 1975 reflects payments from SEDCO in the total amount
of $665,881.63, which were deposited in the CTC CNB account.
That journal records $36,053.57 as commissions to CTC, $54,080.33
as commissions to Diesel Power, and $575,747.73 as purchases.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent also
increased petitioner's income from Stewart & Stevenson by
$8,887.73, which consists of $7,409.42 in "per books unreported"
income and $1,478.31 in "other unreported" income. The CTC
receipts journal for 1975 reflects receipt in 1975 of a total of
$12,349.04 from Stewart & Stevenson, which was deposited in the
CTC CNB account. This amount was recorded in the CTC receipts
journal as a total of $4,939.62 in commissions for CTC13 and a
13
We note that respondent alleges in the proposed findings of fact that
petitioner reported $3,461.31 of the total amount received from Stewart &
Stevenson during 1975, but we have found that the CTC books attributed
$4,939.62 to CTC.
- 59 -
total of $7,409.42 in commissions for Diesel Power. The parties
presented no evidence concerning the $1,489.31 of alleged "other
unreported" income in the notice of deficiency.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent made an
adjustment to petitioner's income from IMICO/IMISS of $1,727.27.
The CTC receipts journal for 1976 reflects receipt during 1976 of
payments from IMICO in the total amount of $30,236.10, which were
deposited in the CTC CNB account. The journal records $1,151.53
of this amount as commissions for CTC, $1,727.27 as commissions
for Diesel Power, and $27,357.30 as purchases.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent also
proposes to increase petitioner's income from SEDCO by
$92,058.39. The CTC receipts journal for 1976 reflects a total
amount received from SEDCO of $678,941.33, which was deposited in
the CTC CNB account. That journal records $61,372.27 as
commissions to CTC, $92,058.39 as commissions to Diesel Power,
and $525,510.67 as purchases.
In the notice of deficiency for 1978 respondent increased
petitioner's income from IMICO by $942.02, from SEDIRAN by
$111,955.01, and from SEDCO by $38,033.49. CTC's 1978 receipts
journal attributes no commissions from IMICO, SEDIRAN (apparently
an affiliated company), or SEDCO to Diesel Power. Instead, all
are attributed to CTC commissions or "purchases".
- 60 -
I. Ingersoll-Rand
Diesel Power was the distributor in Iran for certain
construction machinery and industrial equipment for Ingersoll-
Rand Company (Ingersoll-Rand). Ingersoll-Rand operating
companies included Ingersoll-Rand World Trade (IRWT), which
handled equipment manufactured outside the United States and sold
outside the United States, and Ingersoll-Rand, SA (IRSA), which
handled sales of U.S. equipment outside the United States.
Ingersoll-Rand had a relationship with Diesel Power whereby
Ingersoll-Rand employees occupied Diesel Power offices until
1976.
The Court is unaware of a written contract between
Ingersoll-Rand and either Diesel Power or CTC. Ingersoll-Rand's
primary contact at Diesel Power was Mr. Khalatbari, who
negotiated certain changes made in 1974 to a distribution
agreement with Diesel Power. Diesel Power performed the local
on-site functions of obtaining equipment quotes and orders for
Ingersoll-Rand. Petitioner was involved in some of the more
high-level negotiations with the Iranian Government in connection
with projects that would affect Ingersoll-Rand. CTC employees
billed and collected Ingersoll-Rand commissions and directed to
which accounts commissions should be paid. Originally, CTC
employees instructed Ingersoll-Rand that commission payments be
- 61 -
made to the London Zand account, the Banque de Paris, and to CTC.
However, during 1975 Mrs. Conway of CTC canceled her prior
instructions and instructed Ingersoll-Rand to send commissions to
the Diesel Power Banque de Paris account. In 1975 Mrs. Conway
instructed Ingersoll-Rand to change the procedure again and to
make certain commission checks payable to a company called
International Gas & Oil Supply Company, Ltd. (IGOS). IGOS was
formed in 1973, and petitioner had a one-third interest in IGOS.
Mr. Khalatbari inquired from Ingersoll-Rand at that time about
procedures for transferring the distributorship to IGOS, although
it is unclear whether such a transfer occurred. During 1975 Mrs.
Conway changed the IGOS bank mailing address to CTC's Ohio
address, and IGOS bank statements were mailed to CTC at that
address starting in 1975. In 1976 Mrs. Conway further instructed
Ingersoll-Rand that commissions were to be sent to the Zand FNCB
London account. At some time in 1977, Ingersoll-Rand was asked
to have distributors provide confirmation that payment of
commissions to locations outside their country of residence was
appropriate under that country's laws. Therefore, Mrs. Conway
told Ingersoll-Rand that commissions could no longer be sent
directly to CTC. Instead, Mrs. Conway directed Ingersoll-Rand to
hold the commission checks for pickup by a CTC representative.
- 62 -
J. Payments by Ingersoll-Rand
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Ingersoll-Rand by $48,222.04.14 During
1973 Ingersoll-Rand made payments of $41,129.39, which were
deposited in the Diesel Power Bank of America account.
Ingersoll-Rand also deposited £174.54 at Mrs. Conway's
instruction in the Zand FNCB London account in September 1973.
In 1973 the CTC receipts journal reflects receipt of payments of
$976.86 from Ingersoll-Rand. These payments were recorded as
commissions to Diesel Power of $586.12 and commissions to CTC of
$390.74. In 1973 $976.86 was deposited in the CTC CNB account.
Respondent concedes that petitioner is not liable for any
increased 1973 commission income from Ingersoll-Rand except to
the extent that petitioner withdrew funds from the Diesel Power
Bank of America account.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Ingersoll-Rand by $197,259.65. During
1974 Ingersoll-Rand issued checks or made wire transfers to the
Diesel Power Bank of America account in the total amount of
14
We are unable to ascertain the basis for this figure originally
determined by respondent.
- 63 -
$197,079.14.15 During 1974 $1,669.64 in commissions from
Ingersoll-Rand was deposited to the IGOS CNB Columbus account.
These payments were not included in the CTC receipts journal.
Respondent now concedes that petitioner is not liable for any
increased commission income from Ingersoll-Rand except to the
extent that he withdrew funds from the Bank of America account.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's 1975 commission income from Ingersoll-Rand by
$781,078.02. During 1975 Ingersoll-Rand issued checks or made
wire transfers to the Diesel Power Bank of America account in the
total amount of $781,078.02. In the amendment to answer
respondent increased this amount by an additional $691,602.46.
This additional figure was based in part upon deposits made by
Ingersoll-Rand to the IGOS CNB Columbus account and the Banque de
Paris, and payments mailed directly to Diesel Power. The
additional figure is also based in part upon an alleged 1975
deposit to the Zand FNCB account in the amount of $197,513.88.
Respondent now concedes all but the $197,513.88 that was
allegedly deposited to the Zand FNCB account.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's commission income from Ingersoll-Rand by
15
We are unable to explain the reason that this figure differs slightly
from the stipulated deposit.
- 64 -
$243,665.65. In the amendment to answer respondent increased
this figure by an additional $144,812.48. During 1976, at the
direction of Mrs. Conway, Ingersoll-Rand deposited commissions
totaling £5,494.40 into the Zand FNCB London account. At the
average monthly exchange rate for March 1976, this was equivalent
to $10,688.05. (International Financial Statistics, March 1976.)
In a sworn affidavit dated February 26, 1981, handwritten by one
of the IGOS shareholders, Hossein Shirazi, (Mr. Shirazi), stated
that during both 1976 and 1978 IGOS paid $120,000 to petitioner
for Ingersoll-Rand commissions. Mr. Shirazi was not a witness in
this proceeding. No income from IGOS was reported on
petitioner's 1976 return. Petitioner reported $120,000 as income
attributable to IGOS on his 1978 Federal income tax return.
Respondent now concedes a portion of the earlier positions and
contends only that petitioner failed to report $130,769.02 in
1976 commissions from Ingersoll-Rand. This amount consists of
the alleged $120,000 distribution from IGOS described by Mr.
Shirazi in his affidavit and the equivalent of $10,769.02
deposited in the form of British pounds in the Zand FNCB London
account.
K. Morgan
Although there was no written agreement or contract between
Morgan and Diesel Power, petitioner, or CTC, there apparently was
- 65 -
an understanding to combine resources in sales of equipment to
certain companies, and to split evenly between Morgan, on the one
hand, and Diesel Power or CTC, on the other, the net commissions
resulting therefrom. This understanding was variously described
internally by a Morgan employee as "a joint venture with Diesel
Power", and by CTC employees as "the Morgan/Zand marriage" or the
"Zand/Morgan agreement". During 1975 petitioner and CTC
employees were involved in providing quotations and negotiating
orders for equipment under this arrangement. However, Diesel
Power employees furnished most of this service from Teheran.
Petitioner and CTC employees kept track of Morgan commissions and
made the decisions as to when Morgan commissions that were due
would be paid, in what amounts, and to whom. Morgan sometimes
corresponded with Diesel Power about orders and commissions, and
Diesel Power employees also kept CTC informed about commissions
that were due or had been paid. CTC also was involved in billing
Morgan for its share of certain expenses that Morgan apparently
had agreed to share with Diesel Power or CTC, sending a copy of
one such bill to Diesel Power.
L. Payments by Morgan
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Morgan by $473,552.70, $24,219.46 of
which was itemized as "PER BOOKS UNREPORTED" and $449,333.24 of
- 66 -
which was itemized as "OTHER UNREPORTED". During 1975 or 1976
Morgan issued two checks totaling $200,000 to CTC, which were
recorded on CTC's 1976 receipts journal as commissions for CTC
and deposited in the CTC CNB account. These two checks are not
at issue. Morgan also issued seven checks to Diesel Power
totaling $525,786.48, which were not recorded in CTC's journal
for either 1975 or 1976. These checks were deposited in either
the Diesel Power Bank of America account or the Bank of Teheran
in the name of Diesel Power. Four of the seven Diesel Power
checks were issued by Morgan in accordance with explicit
instructions from petitioner.
In the notice of deficiency for 1977 respondent increased
petitioner's income for "SALES COMMISSIONS D.P.T.C." in the
amount of $179,224.28. Respondent contends that $56,302.97 of
this increase was attributable to commissions for Diesel Power
from Morgan. CTC's 1977 receipts journal reflects receipt from
Morgan of a total of $85,594.63, all of which was deposited in
the CTC CNB account. This amount is allocated in the CTC
receipts journal as $29,291.66 in CTC commissions and $56,302.97
in Diesel Power commissions.
M. Harnischfeger
On July 17, 1972, Harnischfeger International Corporation
S.A. (Harnischfeger) and Diesel Power entered into a distributor
- 67 -
agreement. Petitioner signed the agreement as chairman of Diesel
Power. The agreement provided for Diesel Power to market
Harnischfeger construction equipment in Iran. In a letter of the
same date to petitioner, Harnischfeger proposed to amend certain
provisions of the distributor agreement. Petitioner accepted
these amendments on August 25, 1972. On May 24, 1976, a new
distributor agreement very similar to the 1972 agreement was
entered into between Harnischfeger and Diesel Power. Again,
petitioner signed the new agreement as chairman of Diesel Power.
From 1972 through 1976 there was considerable direct contact
between Diesel Power employees and Harnischfeger. I.J. Zand of
Diesel Power communicated directly with Harnischfeger concerning
price quotes and sales of Harnischfeger equipment. However, CTC
continued in its normal role of controlling the payment of
commissions by issuing the bills. In 1975 CTC employees
submitted a quotation for Harnischfeger equipment to a company in
the United States and contacted Harnischfeger concerning trade
fairs, where equipment would be displayed. Expressing
dissatisfaction with the sales and service coverage by Diesel
Power over the previous few years, Harnischfeger terminated the
1976 distributor agreement with Diesel Power by a letter
addressed to petitioner dated September 1976, pursuant to the 30-
day notification provision in the agreement. On at least four
- 68 -
occasions in 1977 Mrs. Conway, on behalf of CTC, sent letters to
Harnischfeger requesting commission payments payable to Diesel
Power.
N. Payments by Harnischfeger
In the notice of deficiency for 1974, respondent increased
petitioner's "per books unreported" income from Harnischfeger by
$525.41. No payments from Harnischfeger are reflected in the CTC
receipts journal. That journal does reflect a payment from a
company called Parker Hannifin (allegations pertaining to which
will be discussed later under "Miscellaneous Companies") in the
amount of $875.68. Of this payment $525.41 was recorded as a
commission to Diesel Power, and $350.27 was listed as a
commission to CTC. This payment from Parker Hannifin was
deposited in the CTC CNB account. Respondent proposes to
increase petitioner's income from Parker Hannifin by an amount
which apparently does not include this payment. The parties do
not address respondent's 1974 "per books" income from
Harnischfeger in their briefs, nor do they explain why respondent
alleges an amount from Harnischfeger that is equivalent to the
amount of a stipulated payment from Parker Hannifin.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Harnischfeger by $78,000. In March
1975, a bill for $130,000 in commissions with petitioner's
- 69 -
signature on CTC stationery was sent to Harnischfeger asking that
payment be sent to CTC. In April 1975, Harnischfeger issued a
check to CTC in the amount of $130,000, which was deposited into
the CTC CNB account. This amount was recorded in CTC's 1975 cash
receipts journal as $52,000 in commissions to CTC and $78,000 in
commissions to Diesel Power. Neither CTC nor petitioner included
the $78,000 amount attributed to Diesel Power in income for 1975.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Harnischfeger by $33,809.71. During
1976 Harnischfeger, upon instructions from a CTC employee, issued
checks payable to CTC in the total amount of $56,349.52. These
checks were deposited into the CTC CNB account. They were
recorded as commissions for CTC of $22,539.81 and for Diesel
Power of $33,809.71.
In the notice of deficiency for 1977, respondent increased
petitioner's income for "SALES COMMISSIONS D.P.T.C." in the
amount of $179,224.28. Of this amount $56,158.59 was
attributable to commissions for Diesel Power from Harnischfeger.
The CTC receipts journal for 1977 lists receipt from
Harnischfeger of a total amount of $93,597.66, which was
deposited into the CTC CNB account. That journal allocated
$37,439.07 as commissions for CTC and $56,158.59 as commissions
for Diesel Power.
- 70 -
O. Pioneer
On March 3, 1958, Pioneer Engineering (Pioneer) and CTC
entered into an export distributors agreement. This agreement
was signed by petitioner as General Manager and proprietor of
CTC. At that time, Pioneer was a division of Poor & Company,
Inc. The distributors agreement between Pioneer and CTC was
amended with regard to matters not at issue here by an addendum
of June 12, 1964. Petitioner executed this amendment on behalf
of CTC. Subsequently, Pioneer merged with Poor & Company to
become Portec, Inc. (Portec), and Pioneer became a division of
Portec. For convenience, we refer to Pioneer as the company with
which the relevant transactions occurred.
During the years at issue there was communication between
Diesel Power and CTC about Pioneer because Diesel Power helped to
process Pioneer orders. Most of the correspondence was about
Pioneer orders and commissions. Some messages asked for follow-
up on requests from Pioneer. In April 1976, Diana Khalatbari
circulated a memo to several Diesel Power employees and to
petitioner concerning the potential for increasing Pioneer
asphalt equipment sales.
There also were direct dealings between Pioneer and Diesel
Power. Some letters were in appreciation for Diana and Farshid
Khalatbari's time during trips by Pioneer executives to Iran.
- 71 -
Pioneer and Diesel Power also corresponded directly with each
other concerning orders and customer requests. Correspondence
between Pioneer and Diesel Power indicated that courtesy copies
consistently were sent to CTC. In March 1975, Diesel Power
directly sent a Pioneer price quotation to the Ministry of
Commerce. In August 1976, Mrs. Meier, of CTC, informed Pioneer
that Diesel Power had a new sales manager, Mr. A. Ryhani, and
invited Portec to meet with Mr. Ryhani concerning Pioneer
products.
The general manager and vice president of Portec during the
years 1973 to 1980 was under the impression that petitioner, CTC,
and Diesel Power were one and the same. Pioneer listed CTC as a
customer in the journal records Pioneer kept during 1975 and
1976. In correspondence from Pioneer to Diesel Power, Pioneer
appeared to consider CTC and Diesel Power to be the same company.
CTC helped to confirm this impression by corresponding on behalf
of Diesel Power. Consequently, on matters of importance, Pioneer
corresponded directly with CTC. In an April 1975 letter Pioneer
informed CTC that all contracts in excess of $5 million had to be
approved by Pioneer. In August 1975, Mrs. Meier asked Pioneer to
have Iranian customers not correspond directly with Pioneer but
through Diesel Power. In addition, Pioneer and CTC corresponded
directly about orders and prices.
- 72 -
CTC also was responsible for Pioneer commissions. In
October 1975, Pioneer confirmed a telephone conversation with
Mrs. Meier concerning a commission and requested instructions
regarding payment. CTC and Pioneer corresponded in December 1975
and the following month concerning commissions on certain orders.
In a letter dated February 18, 1976, Mrs. Conway, of CTC,
requested payment of a commission in the amount of $232,615.80
payable to Diesel Power and further stated: "There should be no
mention of the source of this request, i.e., Caspian Trading
Company." The letter also requests issuance of a commission
check in the amount of $56,161.89 payable to CTC. A memo to the
file dated June 1, 1976, summarizes commissions from Pioneer.
Regardless of the direct dealings between Diesel Power and
Pioneer, petitioner was in control of the distributor agreement
with Pioneer. On December 19, 1974, Pioneer wrote to CTC as
follows:
we should bring the Distributor Agreements up to date; and
in reviewing this, we note that our agreement form is the
old form of Pioneer Engineering rather than Pioneer Division
of PORTEC. This in itself would be OK; however, the
existing agreement was executed between ourselves and
Caspian Trading of Columbus.
In the file on your company there is a letter dated
July 30, 1959, to Diesel Power Trading pointing out that our
distributor in Iran is actually Diesel Power Trading and
because of this, it would be more proper to have the
agreements made out in that name rather than Caspian
Trading.
- 73 -
According to this older letter, new agreements making this
change were sent with the letter; however, I am unable to
locate them here.
Rather than getting into piecemeal amendments, it would be
more practical to do it all at once. I do feel that our
earlier letter was correct in that our dealer is actually
Diesel Power Trading, rather than Caspian Trading. Would
you please check this out and confirm to us that we should
make out new agreements listing Diesel Power Trading.
At the bottom of this letter, there is a handwritten note in blue
pen: "Mr. Zand: should new agreement be in name of Diesel PTC?"
and another handwritten note in red pen indicating "Yes". In
April 1975, Mrs. Meier asked Pioneer to send a letter addressed
to "to whom it may concern", stating that "Diesel Power Company,
Teheran, Iran, is your authorized and exclusive distributor in
Iran." She explained in her letter that Mr. Khalatbari had
informed her that "this is required for purposes of prequalifying
Pioneer on some forthcoming inquiries being issued by various
governmental departments." On April 25, 1975, a letter from
Pioneer responded to Mrs. Meier's request as follows: "By means
of this letter we confirm that our authorized and exclusive
distributor in Iran is Diesel Power Company." The distributor
agreement between CTC and Pioneer was never amended to replace
CTC with Diesel Power as the authorized distributor.
By letter dated July 14, 1978, Pioneer terminated its
distributor agreement with CTC. Petitioner received and accepted
the termination on behalf of CTC on July 17, 1978. In his
- 74 -
July 17, 1978, letter accepting termination, petitioner stated
that he agreed with Pioneer that "until such time as we have
created a substitute for Diesel Power, which has ceased to exist
and operate as the company that I created in 1958, you had no
choice but to cancel our agreement." He further stated: "I will
be creating a representation outlet for your line in Iran * * * .
We are not about to leave you without representation as we
continue to feel obligated to serve your interests in Iran." In
a letter dated May 18, 1979, petitioner represented to Pioneer
that Diesel Power had no interest in or right to a sales
commission of $121,813.43 earned on a particular order; that CTC
was entitled to this commission; and that CTC would hold Pioneer
harmless against any claim that Diesel Power might assert with
regard to this commission. Along with a letter 1 week later,
Pioneer sent a commission check to petitioner and expressed
regret that this might be the last business transaction between
Pioneer and CTC.
P. Payments by Pioneer
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Pioneer in the amount of $1,440.47. The
1973 CTC receipts journal lists a payment from Pioneer of
$16,838.31. This payment was deposited in the CTC CNB account.
$1,156.75 of this payment is recorded in the CTC receipts journal
- 75 -
as a commission for Diesel Power; $771.17 is reported as a
commission for CTC; and $14,891.74 is recorded as a "cost of
purchase." The 1973 receipts journal also reflects a payment
from Pioneer in the amount of $472.86. This payment was
deposited in the CTC CNB account. Of this amount $283.72 was
recorded in the CTC receipts journal as a commission for Diesel
Power, and $189.14 was recorded as a commission for CTC.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent determined
an adjustment to income from Pioneer Portec in the amount of
$269.31. The 1974 CTC receipts journal lists receipt of a
payment from Pioneer in the amount of $448.85. This payment was
deposited in the CTC CNB account. The CTC receipts journal
records $269.31 of this payment as commissions for Diesel Power
and $179.54 as commissions for CTC.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Pioneer by $300,090.87. During the
taxable year 1975 Pioneer issued two checks payable to CTC in the
total amount of $400,121.15, both of which were deposited in the
CTC CNB account. The 1975 CTC receipts journal records a total
of $100,030.28 as Pioneer commissions for CTC and a total of
$300,090.87 as Pioneer commissions for Diesel Power. Petitioner
reported on his 1975 income tax return the $100,030.28 recorded
- 76 -
as CTC commissions. Petitioner did not report on his 1975 income
tax return the $300,090.87 recorded as Diesel Power commissions.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Pioneer by $876,850.39 in "Per books"
unreported income and $232,640.80 in "Other" unreported income,
for a total of $1,109,491.19. During the taxable year 1976
Pioneer issued checks payable to CTC in the total amount of
$1,447,634.21. All of these checks were deposited in the CTC CNB
account. The 1976 CTC receipts journal records a total of
$570,783.82 as Pioneer commissions to CTC and $876,850.39 as
Pioneer commissions to Diesel Power. Also during 1976, there was
a wire transfer from Pioneer to the Diesel Power Bank of Teheran
account in amount of $232,615.80, with an additional $25 listed
on the check order for "Airmail or cable charge" and
"Commission". Respondent concedes the additional $25. This wire
transfer was not recorded in the 1976 CTC receipts journal.
In the notice of deficiency for 1977 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Pioneer by $12,201.80. The 1977 CTC
receipts journal lists receipt from Pioneer of $20,336.34, which
was deposited to the CTC CNB account. The journal records
$12,201.80 as commissions to Diesel Power and $8,134.54 as
commissions to CTC.
- 77 -
In the notice of deficiency for 1978 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Pioneer by $84,293.45. The 1978 CTC
receipts journal notes receipt from Pioneer of $84,293.45. Of
this amount $50,576.07 is recorded as commissions to Diesel
Power, and $33,717.38 is recorded as commissions to CTC.
Q. Galion
Diesel Power and the Galion Iron Works & Manufacturing
Company (Galion) had a direct buyer-seller relationship prior to
the years at issue. Galion sold equipment to Diesel Power by
means of time drafts whereby Diesel Power would resell the Galion
equipment to its customers and, with the payments from those
customers, pay Galion for the time drafts. Diesel Power
defaulted at one point on these time drafts. Mr. Khalatbari, as
managing director of Diesel Power, negotiated and signed an
agreement dated July 28, 1969, between Galion and Diesel Power
restructuring the debt due from Diesel Power to Galion.
Petitioner, as director, officer, and principal shareholder of
Diesel Power, guaranteed payment under the provisions of the
agreement. Neither Mr. Khalatbari nor Diana Zand gave a similar
personal guarantee. Shortly thereafter, in a document dated
December 1, 1969, an export, distributor, sales and service
agreement was executed. The cover page states that the agreement
was between Diesel Power and Galion, but the signature page
- 78 -
identifies CTC as the distributor. Petitioner signed this
agreement as Owner and General Manager of CTC.
Most of the direct correspondence between Diesel Power and
Galion during the years at issue concerned quotes or orders for
Galion equipment. Other direct correspondence involved minor
matters, such as claims and exhibitions. Diesel Power
corresponded with CTC concerning Galion equipment for orders,
warranty and service procedures, and receipt of checks from
Galion.
CTC corresponded directly with Galion on more important
matters, such as the cancellation of orders, new product lines,
and the payment of commissions. Commissions earned on Galion
equipment that had been shipped to Diesel Power were credited to
CTC. In 1976 petitioner negotiated an additional commission from
Galion with respect to a service fee. On one occasion in 1976,
Mrs. Conway sent a letter to Galion requesting that a check be
sent payable to the Diesel Power Bank of Teheran account and
directed that the check be charged against CTC's commission
account. The letter also contains the following statement:
This transfer should be accompanied by the following
explanation: "Re Galion Equipment." There should be no
mention of the source of this request i.e. Caspian Trading
Company. Diesel Power will handle all other details upon
the Bank of Teheran's receipt of your bank transfer.
- 79 -
In addition to petitioner's direction of commission
payments, petitioner ultimately was in charge of the Galion
relationship. For example, when a question arose whether a
change of control from one Iranian ministry to another would
affect the acquisition of certain Galion equipment, CTC told
Galion that the new Minister "is a good friend of Mr. Zand's, so
there is no difficulty by this change." Petitioner personally
handled Galion sales to a ministry. CTC employees also confirmed
to others the impression that CTC was ultimately responsible for
Galion sales by corresponding with a potential customer of Galion
equipment with the following language: "Our company name in Iran
is Diesel Power Company." In a letter to another purchaser of
Galion equipment there was a reference to "our Teheran office
Diesel Power". Petitioner's ultimate authority was understood
among various CTC employees. At the bottom of a letter from
Diesel Power to Mrs. Meier in 1976 concerning a rebate that had
been negotiated on some cranes by Mr. Shirazi of Diesel Power, a
handwritten note from "MA" says "ask JJZ"; an apparent response
states "pay to us here 40/60". In 1978 there was evidence that
petitioner still was in control of the Galion relationship. Mr.
Khalatbari did not sign a contract for the sale of Galion
equipment to the Iranian ministry and was described to a CTC
employee by an Iranian business associate as "your man on the
- 80 -
spot" who was mismanaging petitioner's Iranian business.
Petitioner discussed this problem with Galion and planned, if it
became necessary, to arrange for someone else to sign the
contract on Galion's behalf.
There appears to have been some tension between petitioner
and Diesel Power about the issue of control with respect to
Galion commissions. Mr. Shirazi of Diesel Power sent a letter
during 1975 to Galion stating:
As a result of an organizational change in our company
we have set up new procedures. One of these changes has
been to deal directly with all the manufacturers we
represent. This change has resulted because we have found
Caspian to be over loaded [sic] with work and have been
under tremendous pressure as of late.
The letter indicates that a copy was sent to CTC. Shortly
thereafter, Mrs. Meier wrote to Galion as follows:
I have discussed this at length with Mr. Zand and will be
advising Mr. Shirazi that while Diesel Power may and should
correspond with Galion directly on spare parts matters,
their direct communication should be limited to that and in
all direct communications whether originating from your
office or Diesel Power a blind copy should be sent to
Caspian.
At the request of Mr. Zand, all machinery orders will
continue to be processed through Caspian.
In a letter dated March 17, 1976, Mrs. Conway wrote to a Galion
affiliate in Europe, stating: "As a result of negotiations held
in Teheran in August 1975, between Mr. I. J. Zand of Diesel Power
Company" and Galion, certain commission fees had been paid to
- 81 -
Diesel Power. The letter requests that the balance of the
commission due be transferred to CTC. A 1975 Galion letter to
one of its European affiliates states that, while the affiliate
had provided commission funds directly to Diesel Power on certain
past shipments, this procedure was "contrary to Caspian Trading's
instructions to us. Mr. Zand called me the other day and advised
me of this." The letter further stated that the correct
procedure was to credit the affiliate's books in the name of
Diesel Power, send a copy of the credit to CTC, and "Await
notification from Caspian as to when and how dispersement is to
be made." This letter shows that a copy was sent to petitioner
but does not show that a copy was sent to Diesel Power.
Petitioner's control over the earning of commissions also is
reflected in a 1976 memo to the Galion file, which states:
Mr. Zand suggested and Farshid graciously agreed that
Caspian retain 100 percent of the profit on the Galion * * *
parts and engine orders yearly until such time as Caspian
covers their overhead. Once Caspian's overhead is
satisfied, then the division is Caspian 75 percent and
Diesel Power 25 percent.
R. Payments by Galion
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent determined
that there was unreported "Per books" income from Galion in the
amount of $170,798.84 and "Other" income from Galion of
$2,368.24. During the taxable year 1973 Galion issued checks
payable to CTC totaling $284,664.74, all of which were deposited
- 82 -
in the CTC CNB account. The CTC receipts journal for 1973
records commissions from Galion for CTC in the amount of
$113,865.90 and for Diesel Power in the amount of $170,798.84.
The notice of deficiency for 1974 increased petitioner's
commission income from Galion by $60,129.43. During the taxable
year 1974 Galion issued checks payable to CTC in the total amount
of $100,215.71, all of which were deposited in CTC's CNB account.
The 1974 CTC receipts journal records the amount of $40,086.28 as
CTC commissions and $60,129.43 as Diesel Power commissions.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's "Per books" income from Galion by $1,202,188.66 and
"Other" income by $3,780. For the taxable year 1975 Galion
issued checks payable to CTC in the total amount of
$1,870,239.25. These checks were deposited to CTC's CNB account.
Of this total amount $221,069.80 constituted reimbursement to CTC
for costs of purchases. This amount was not included by
petitioner as cost of goods sold on his 1975 return.16 The 1975
CTC receipts journal records $447,231.27 as commissions to CTC.
The remaining $1,202,188.1817 was listed as commissions to Diesel
16
Thus, respondent made no adjustment to petitioner's total Schedule C
income for $221,069.80 in the notice of deficiency for 1975.
17
We note that the stipulation states that the total amount included in
income was $447,231.27 and that, consequently, the net total of the deposits
not included in petitioner's income, as listed in the stipulation, is
$1,201,938.18. We are unable to identify from the 1975 CTC cash receipts
journal two of the deposits listed in the stipulation as having been included
- 83 -
Power. Respondent now claims that only the $1,201,938.20 is at
issue for 1975, thus apparently conceding the alleged "Other"
income in the notice of deficiency.18
In the notice of deficiency for 1976, respondent increased
petitioner's "Per books" income from Galion by $12,845.78 and
"Other" income by $391,286.34. Respondent now asserts that
$390,843.54 is at issue. During the taxable year 1976, Galion
paid Diesel Power a total amount of $390,843.54. These payments
were deposited in the Diesel Power Bank of Teheran account and
were made pursuant to letters from CTC to Galion requesting the
payments. None of these payments was recorded in the CTC
receipts journal for 1976. Petitioner did not include in his
1976 gross income any portion of the $390,843.54. On June 24,
1976, Galion made a payment to Diesel Power in the amount of
$6,000, payable to the Diesel Power Bank of Teheran account.
There is no record of this amount in CTC's receipts journal for
1976. Respondent appears to have conceded the adjustment in the
notice of deficiency with respect to the $6,000 payment.
in income; therefore, we are unable to ascertain whether the specific amounts
listed in the stipulation are correct, but we assume for our findings that
they are and that there was an error in addition. Because the total amount
included in income is $250 less than indicated in the stipulation, the total
amount not included is $250 higher.
18
We are unable to determine why the amount attributed to Diesel Power
on the CTC receipts journal of $1,202,188.18 differs from the amount at issue
according to respondent's brief by $250. We assume that respondent meant to
use the "Per books" figure in the notice of deficiency.
- 84 -
Respondent increased petitioner's 1977 income from Galion by
$57,339.32.19 The 1977 CTC receipts journal lists two payments
from Galion. Both payments were deposited to the CTC CNB
account. One payment in the amount of $307.52 was allocated
$184.51 to Diesel Power commissions and $123.01 to CTC
commissions. The other payment in the amount of $57,154.81 was
designated refunds/reimbursements. On brief, respondent fails to
mention the $184.51 Diesel Power commission. Furthermore, on
brief, respondent concedes that the $57,154.81 is a
reimbursement. Therefore, the $57,339.32 is no longer at issue.
In the notice of deficiency for 1978 respondent increased
petitioner's commission income from Galion in the amount of
$671,394.73. Respondent now contends that $415,896.98
constitutes unreported commission income to petitioner. The CTC
receipts journal for 1978 lists a payment from Galion in the
amount of $32,560.36 in the "Other" column. The CTC receipts
journal also shows a Galion payment in the amount of $638,894.37.
Of this payment $383,336.62 is designated as Diesel Power
commissions and $255,557.75 as CTC commissions.
19
There is a discrepancy between the stipulated figure of $57,339.32 and
the notice of deficiency. The notice of deficiency shows $57,154.81 as the
adjustment to 1977 income. We accept the stipulated figure.
- 85 -
S. Clark
Petitioner's relationship with Clark International Marketing
S.A. and its affiliates (all of which will be referred to
collectively as Clark) dates back to at least 1966. On June 6,
1966, petitioner signed an agreement designating Diesel Power as
sales representative for Clark products. Petitioner signed this
agreement as Director General of Diesel Power. In 1972
petitioner, on behalf of himself and CTC, agreed to honor all
unpaid obligations in the form of drafts or account charges
incurred by Diesel Power. On May 1, 1973, Clark and Diesel Power
entered into a distributor agreement. By this agreement, Diesel
Power would market Clark products, and Clark would sell its
products in Iran exclusively to Diesel Power. Mr. Khalatbari
signed this agreement on behalf of Diesel Power. On May 1, 1975,
another distributor agreement identical to the 1973 agreement was
entered into in the names of Diesel Power and CIMSA, a Clark
affiliate. Mr. Khalatbari also signed that agreement on behalf
of Diesel Power.
Although Mr. Khalatbari signed the Clark agreements,
petitioner and CTC were in control of important matters and
policy decisions. In August 1973, Mrs. Meier wrote to Clark on
- 86 -
CTC letterhead discussing the possibility of sales of Clark
equipment to NIOC as follows: "Members of Diesel Power are in
contact with NIOC on a regular basis" and would encourage
purchase of "our" products. In November and December 1973, CTC
ordered Clark equipment for sale in Iran and requested that
commissions be paid. Referring to Diesel Power as "our sister
company in Iran", CTC also instructed Clark's German affiliate to
send all monthly statements and copies of all correspondence,
invoices, and credit or debit notes pertaining to Diesel Power
accounts to CTC. At various times from 1974 through 1977 CTC
employees contacted Clark asking for copies of invoices and
instructing Clark to forward commissions to Diesel Power bank
accounts in the Channel Islands, the Banque de Paris, and the
Zand London account. CTC also instructed Clark to forward checks
directly to CTC. There are no similar letters in the record from
Diesel Power directing Clark's payments. In 1975 CTC wrote to
Clark discussing Diesel Power's proposal to exhibit Clark
equipment at the upcoming Teheran Trade Fair. Furthermore, after
a dispute in March 1976, petitioner wrote a lengthy letter to
Clark's German affiliate expressing concern about discourteous
behavior by a Clark employee to a representative of the Iranian
- 87 -
Air Force. Petitioner emphasized that such behavior was
particularly inappropriate because the largest forklift sale in
Clark history was involved. In response to an allegation that
Diesel Power had not earned its commission in the forklift
transaction, petitioner explained that "Diesel Power" had
succeeded in negotiating the sale without public bids, and that
petitioner had met with the parties during the negotiations.
Petitioner further explained that CTC employees had written and
telephoned Clark employees on several occasions concerning a
letter of credit in favor of Clark and commission payments,
indicating that "both our offices in Iran and the U.S. continued
to give valuable support to the Clark organization". Although
petitioner had little direct contact with Clark employees, these
employees understood that Diesel Power was petitioner's company.
Notwithstanding this understanding, Diesel Power was Clark's
contractual partner. Clark issued a statement that Diesel Power
was its sole distributor. However, as discussed previously,
Diana Zand had asked CTC to obtain statements from several
distributors stating that Diesel Power was their representative
in order to facilitate transactions with the Iranian Government.
At CTC's request, in a letter dated August 19, 1974, addressed
- 88 -
"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN", Clark confirmed that Diesel Power was
its authorized sole distributor in Iran. In certain respects,
this representation is supported by Diesel Power's considerable
contact with Clark. Diesel Power provided quotes for Clark
equipment to local companies and, in one instance, asked a Clark
representative to travel to Iran about an order. In November
1974, Mr. Ott, of Clark, sent a letter to Mr. Khalatbari
restating some of the main problems that Diana Zand had mentioned
during his recent visit to Teheran. One of these problems Mr.
Ott mentioned involved tax issues:
The accrual of commissions in the manufacturing country
might be subject to taxation if the governmental tax
authorities have the last word in the pending negotiations.
However, a meeting of tax experts has been scheduled in
Strasbourg on 7 November 1974 for the purpose of working out
a satisfactory solution.
Diesel Power also notified a Clark German affiliate in 1975 of
the change in Diesel Power's organization from a partnership to a
"private joint stock company". Thereafter, when Clark grew
dissatisfied with the level of sales in Iran, Clark canceled the
1975 distributor agreement with Diesel Power. Both Mr.
Khalatbari and I.J. Zand wrote to Clark protesting the
cancellation and insisting that Diesel Power remain Clark's
authorized sole distributor in Iran. Despite these contacts with
- 89 -
Clark there is no evidence that Diesel Power employees directed
any payments from Clark.
In 1977 there was a disagreement between CTC and Mr.
Khalatbari about certain Clark and Ingersoll Rand commissions.
On May 24, 1977, Mrs. Conway and Mrs. Meier wrote a memorandum to
petitioner discussing the amount of commissions that CTC had
received from Diesel Power on the Clark and Ingersoll-Rand
orders. They indicated that "many man hours were expended
servicing this order and in obtaining the actual commission for
Diesel Power". They further noted that a 15-percent commission
was "more than equitable" because "CTC enjoyed a 60/40 split"
during the same time period for performing the same type of
services for other companies. They also wrote that they had
approached Mr. Khalatbari about a 10-percent commission but Mr.
Khalatbari had responded that "Diesel Power was not in a position
to pay at that time." The memorandum also indicates a belief
that Mr. Khalatbari was manipulating the form of orders in order
to minimize the amount of commission due to CTC. The matter
apparently was resolved, and Mr. Khalatbari agreed to pay a
portion of the commissions to CTC. However, by April 1977, the
$325,000 agreed upon had not been paid. Mrs. Meier then sent a
- 90 -
letter to Mr. Khalatbari reminding him of the agreement and
asking when payments could be expected. CTC received $325,000
from Mr. Khalatbari in June 1977. This amount was listed on the
CTC receipts journal as "Other" with a note indicating that this
was a commission "due CTC from DPC".20
By 1978 the relationship between CTC and Diesel Power was in
its last stages. In a memo to the file dated April 24, 1978,
Mrs. Conway noted the receipt of three checks from Clark. She
described therein the allocation of each check to the two
companies and concluded with the following postscript to Diesel
Power:
These checks are being treated in accordance with the
agreement between Caspian Trading Company and Diesel Power
Company and Diesel Power's share has been credited to Diesel
Power's account with Caspian, and will be disposed of under
the on-going negotiations.
T. Payments by Clark
In the notice of deficiency for 1973 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Clark by $35,300.29. During 1973 Clark
issued two checks payable to CTC in the total amount of
$56,301.23. Clark also issued one check payable to Diesel Power
in the total amount of $2,532.60. Thus, total commission
20
This amount is not in dispute.
- 91 -
receipts from Clark were $58,833.83. CTC endorsed these checks
and all were deposited in the CTC CNB account. The CTC 1973 cash
receipts journal records $35,300.29 of the total payments from
Clark as "DPTC" commissions and $23,533.54 as "Caspian"
commissions.
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Clark by $39,972.49 "Per books" income
and $17,925.58 for "Other" income for a total of $57,898.07. In
the amendment to answer respondent asserts that there were Clark
payments deposited to the Zand FNCB London account of £17,141.67,
equivalent to $39,837.99. During 1974 Clark issued total
payments to CTC of $8,621.92 and to Diesel Power of $57,991.50,
or a total of $66,613.42. Mrs. Conway had requested that at
least some of the payments be made to the CTC CNB account, and
they were so deposited. CTC's 1974 cash receipts journal lists
$26,645.37 of this amount as CTC commissions and $39,968.05 of
this amount as Diesel Power commissions. Clark also paid the
following amounts that were not reflected on the CTC receipts
journal, and not reported as income by petitioner in 1974:
Amount Account to which deposited
$12,175.75 Zand FNCB
10,949.35 Zand FNCB
- 92 -
1,124.55 Zand FNCB
50,658.25 Mailed to Diesel Power or a Diesel Power
account
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Clark by $173,185.21 "Per books" income
and $1,009,165.22 "Other" income for a total of $1,182,350.43.
Respondent asserts in her answer that Clark paid petitioner
$1,095.63 in 1975. In the amendment to answer respondent asserts
that Clark paid petitioner £1,095.63, equivalent to $2,622.94 in
1975. During 1975 Clark issued checks to CTC in the total amount
of $285,260.12. These checks were deposited to CTC bank
accounts. In the 1975 CTC receipts journal $114,104.04 of the
total amount is recorded as CTC commissions, all of which was
included in CTC's 1975 income. The remaining $171,156.08 was
recorded as Diesel Power commissions. CTC did not include this
amount in income. During 1975 Clark issued checks to Diesel
Power in the total amount of $1,011,451.47. One of these checks,
in the amount of $3,381.88, was deposited to the CTC CNB account.
The remaining checks were deposited, at least in part, to Diesel
Power accounts at the Banque de Paris, Bank of America, or CNB at
CTC's request. On the 1975 receipts journal $1,352.75 is
recorded as CTC commissions and $2,029.13 as Diesel Power
- 93 -
commissions. Petitioner reported the $1,352.75 on his return,
but did not report the balance of the $1,011,451.47. During 1975
Clark also deposited £1,095.63, equivalent to $2,622.94,21 into
the Zand FNCB London account. This deposit was not recorded on
the CTC cash receipts journal. During 1975 Clark also issued
payments directly to Diesel Power or to a Diesel Power bank
account in the total amount of $59,823.83. These payments were
not recorded in the 1975 CTC receipts journal.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent increased
petitioner's income from Clark by $134,086.23 "Per books" income
and $253,173.06 "Other" income. During 1976 Clark paid CTC
$19,754.24. The 1976 CTC receipts journal allocates $11,852.54
to Diesel Power commissions and $7,901.70 to CTC commissions.
During 1976 Clark paid Diesel Power a total of $674,658.88. Of
this amount $455,125.68 was deposited in the CTC CNB account.
The remaining $219,533.20 was not recorded in the 1976 CTC
receipts journal. The 1976 CTC journal also lists $81,489.53 as
CTC commissions and $122,234.29 as Diesel Power commissions.
During 1976 Clark also made payments directly to Diesel Power or
21
Respondent's answer asserted that Clark paid $1,095.63 to petitioner
in 1975, but in the amended answer asserted that this was the figure in
pounds, not dollars.
- 94 -
to bank accounts in the name of Diesel Power in the total amount
of $681,783.24. These payments were not recorded in the 1976 CTC
cash receipts journal.
In the notice of deficiency for 1977 respondent determined
additional income for "Sales commissions D.P.T.C.", $22,545.46 of
which was attributable to commissions from Clark. During 1977
Clark issued checks payable to Diesel Power or to Diesel Power
bank accounts in the total amount of $38,569.34. None of this
amount was recorded on CTC's cash receipts journal. The journal
does list receipt from Clark of $22,723.98, all of which was
deposited in the CTC CNB account. Of this amount $14,013.71 was
allocated to Diesel Power commissions and $8,710.27 to CTC
commissions.
In the notice of deficiency for 1978 respondent determined
additional income from Clark in the amount of $36,796.41. The
1978 CTC receipts journal reflects a total of $21,831.24 received
from Clark, $6,640.14 of which was allocated to CTC and
$15,191.10 of which was allocated to Diesel Power.
U. Miscellaneous Commissions/Goodyear
Petitioner, CTC, and Diesel Power also had relationships
with many other companies resulting in the payment of numerous
- 95 -
other commissions. CTC supplied quotations for some of the
orders with these companies. CTC was asked to supply
instructions for payment of commissions, and CTC requested
payment of the commissions earned in the course of these
relationships. Mrs. Meier corresponded with Goodyear during 1973
concerning petitioner's contacts in connection with sales of
certain equipment to the Iranian Air Force and instructed that
commission payments be made to the Zand FNCB London account. On
August 9, 1973, petitioner prepared a memorandum of understanding
whereby petitioner agreed to help facilitate these sales, and
Goodyear agreed to pay petitioner an annual fee. There also is
an unsigned distributor agreement dated August 1973 between
Diesel Power and Goodyear concerning the sale of Goodyear
products. During 1974 and 1975 both Diesel Power and CTC
employees assisted in obtaining price quotes from Goodyear and
sales of Goodyear products.
V. Payments by Miscellaneous Companies/Goodyear
The following payments were recorded in the CTC receipts
journal for 1973:
- 96 -
CTC Diesel Power
Payor Amount Commission Commission
Rosco
Mfg. Co. $1,003.32 $401.33 $601.99
Euclid 106.02 42.41 63.61
American
Hoist 116.97 46.79 70.18
Iran
Aircraft 24,181.00 2,648.39 3,972.58
Morrison
Knudson 18,377.47 275.95 413.92
Parker-Hannifin 917.37 366.95 550.42
Atlantic 11,537.00 591.35 887.03
Richfield
All payments listed above were deposited into the CTC CNB account
during 1973, although the parties have not stipulated as to
deposit of the Atlantic Richfield check. In the notice of
deficiency for 1973 respondent increased petitioner's income from
the companies listed above by the amounts, totaling $6,659.73,
attributed to Diesel Power commissions in the CTC receipts
journal.
The following payments were recorded in the CTC receipts
journal for 1974:
CTC Diesel Power
Payor Amount Commission Commission
GM-Lavan $1,632.85 $170.71 $256.06
G. Power-
Gould 1,635.36 654.14 981.22
- 97 -
Clemco-
Holland 446.22 267.73 178.49
Rosco
Mfg. Co. 1,263.76 505.50 758.26
L.J. Stone 609.17 243.67 365.50
Atlantic
Richfield 19,171.30 967.20 1,450.80
Parker
Hannifin 2,315.04 926.01 1,389.03
All payments listed above were deposited to the CTC CNB account
during 1974. In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent
increased petitioner's income from the above companies by the
total amounts attributed to Diesel Power in the CTC receipts
journal.22
In the notice of deficiency for 1974 respondent also
increased petitioner's income from Goodyear by $21,089.92 and
from Leopold (a Goodyear affiliate) by $4,545.72. In the
amendment to answer respondent asserts that the £25,655.64
deposited to the Zand FNCB account in 1974 by Goodyear was
equivalent to $58,919.69. During 1974 various Goodyear
affiliates deposited a total of £25,665.64 to the Zand FNCB
22
In the notice of deficiency for 1974, respondent made an adjustment to
income from Clemco-Holland in the amount of $27,178.49. Respondent now
appears to have abandoned the argument with respect to all but $178.49 of that
amount.
- 98 -
London account. These deposits were not recorded as receipts in
the CTC receipts journal.
The following payments were recorded in the CTC receipts
journal for 1975:
CTC Diesel Power
Payor Amount Commission Commission
Manchester
Machines $1,632.02 $652.81 $979.21
Airoceanic
Motors 51,666.00 20,666.40 30,999.60
Rosco 13,190.28 5,141.74 8,048.54
Parker
Hannifin 6,145.51 2,458.18 3,687.33
Parsons
Jurdin 213,123.73 5,989.13 8,983.70
Bucyrus
Blade $2,114.53 $794.35 $1,191.53
G.M. Terex 3,521.28 1,408.51 2,112.77 Exxon
149,413.00 4,490.00 6,735.00
With the exception of $5,296.68, all payments listed above were
deposited to the CTC CNB account during 1975. In the notice of
deficiency for 1975 respondent increased petitioner's income from
the above companies by the total amounts attributed to Diesel
Power in the CTC receipts journal.
In the notice of deficiency for 1975 respondent determined
an increase in petitioner's income from Goodyear by $117,854.49.
In the amendment to answer respondent asserts that payments from
Goodyear in the total amount of $134,776.70 constituted
unreported gross income to petitioner. During 1975 Goodyear
deposited checks in the total amount of $59,767.98 to the CTC
- 99 -
FNCB London account and the Zand FNCB London account. During
1975 Goodyear also issued checks in the total amount of
$75,008.62 that were deposited to the Diesel Power Bank of
America account. These amounts were not listed in the CTC
receipts journal for 1975.
The following payments were recorded in the CTC receipts
journal for 1976:
CTC Diesel Power
Payor Amount Commission Commission
Ateco-
American $991.20 $396.48 $594.72
Houston 49,800.00 3,984.00 5,976.00
Atlantic
Richfield 92.13 (3.68) (5.52)
Parsons
Jurdin 2,730.13 1,092.05 1,638.08
Exxon/
Galion 118,432.26 8,055.08 12,082.61
All payments listed above were deposited to the CTC CNB account
during 1976. In the notice of deficiency for 1976, with the
exception of Exxon, respondent increased petitioner's income from
the above companies by the total amounts attributed to Diesel
Power in the CTC receipts journal. The proposed increase in
petitioner's income from Exxon is $12,302.95.23 During 1976
Goodyear deposited checks in the amount of $4,492.13 to the CTC
CNB account. These payments were recorded in the CTC receipts
journal as $1,796.85 in CTC commissions and $2,695.28 in Diesel
Power commissions. In the notice of deficiency for 1976
23
We are unable to explain why this amount is greater than the
stipulated Exxon amounts attributed to Diesel Power in the CTC receipts
journal.
- 100 -
respondent increased petitioner's income from Goodyear by
$2,695.28.
In the notice of deficiency for 1977 respondent determined
that petitioner had unreported income from Diesel Power sales
commissions. Of these payments $10,952.15 is attributed to
Exxon, $3,000 to Orton, and 56 cents to Atlantic Richfield. The
following payments were recorded in the CTC receipts journal for
1977:
CTC Diesel Power
Payor Amount Commission Commission
Exxon $147,558.45 $7,301.43 $10,952.15
Orton 5,000.00 2,000.00 3,000.00
Atlantic
Richfield 2.88 .38 .56
All payments listed above were deposited to the CTC CNB account
during 1977.
III. Interest and Dividend Income--First National City Bank,
London, England, and Crown Life Insurance Company
During 1974 and 1975 petitioner maintained an account with
First National City Bank (FNCB) in London, England, account
number 1612131. This account generated interest income of
$38,055.71 in 1974 and $43,641.69 in 1975. Petitioner also
received payments from Crown Life Insurance Company of $436.50 in
1974 and $445.30 in 1975, which were recorded as "dividends" in
CTC's cash receipts journal.
Petitioner did not include the interest from the FNCB
account or the dividends from Crown Life on his 1974 or 1975
- 101 -
Federal income tax returns. Petitioner did not disclose the
existence of foreign bank accounts in his name on those returns
or on the two amended 1975 returns filed in 1976 and 1978.
Mr. Giffin, who prepared petitioner's 1974 and 1975 tax
returns, was not aware that the FNCB account in London existed.
Furthermore, employees of CTC were not aware that some of the
foreign bank accounts in petitioner's name existed.
In 1976 petitioner earned interest on an FNCB account,
number 245925, in the amount of £27,466.39. During 1976 he also
received payments from Crown Life of $459.05, which were recorded
as dividends in CTC's cash receipts journal. Petitioner did not
include either the interest on the FNCB account or the dividends
from Crown Life on 1976 Federal income tax return.
On Form 4683 filed with his 1976 return petitioner reported
that his financial interest in FNCB account number 245925 did not
exceed $50,000. However, during 1976 General Motors paid over
$140,000 into FNCB account number 245925. Petitioner's employee
requested these deposits.
To Diesel Power and to third parties (including General
Motors and Clark), CTC employees referred to FNCB accounts
numbers 1217690 and 245925 as petitioner's accounts.
Petitioner offered no documentation, such as statements or
policy notices, that the amounts paid to him by Crown Life were
returns of premiums.
- 102 -
The 1974 interest income earned on the London FNCB account
of $38,055.71 and dividends from Crown Life of $436.50 are
includable in petitioner's gross income.
The 1975 interest income earned on the London FNCB account
of $43,641.69 and dividends from Crown Life of $445.30 are
includable in petitioner's gross income.
The 1976 interest income earned on the London FNCB account
of £27,466.39 and dividends from Crown Life of $459.05 are
includable in petitioner's gross income.
IV. Interest Income--WHIP Account at Barclays Bank Bahamas
During 1974, 1975, and 1976 interest was earned on bank
accounts or time deposits in the name of WHIP at the Barclays
Bank in Freeport, Bahamas, in the respective amounts of $25,025,
$29,338.94, and $16,998.06.
Petitioner, through his attorney, formed WHIP. Petitioner
was the sole shareholder of WHIP. Named shareholders were
nominees. In 1975 petitioner paid $628.30 to Price Waterhouse
for account services to WHIP and claimed a deduction on his tax
return for this amount. WHIP's banking and other business
activities were handled by petitioner and CTC employees.
Petitioner was sole signatory over WHIP's bank account at
Barclays Bank Bahamas. From the time of WHIP's formation in 1969
through at least 1978, WHIP did not carry on any independent
- 103 -
business activities. Rather, WHIP served as a shell corporation
and was not an operating company.
In 1978, at petitioner's direction, Mr. Dutton, then an
employee of Caspian Development Company (CDC), withdrew $610,000
from the WHIP account at Barclays Bank Bahamas. Mr. Dutton then
deposited these funds to petitioner's CNB account in Columbus,
Ohio.
Petitioner signed an agreement in July 1970 with Occidental
Petroleum under which payments were to be made to WHIP.
Petitioner directed all payments into the WHIP Barclays Bank
Bahamas account; he was the sole person who withdrew funds from
the account; and he unilaterally took the funds from the account
and deposited them to this own account in Columbus, Ohio.
Therefore, the interest on the Barclays Bank Bahamas account for
the WHIP shell entity of $25,025 in 1974, $29,338.94 in 1975, and
$16,998.06 in 1976 was earned and controlled by petitioner.
V. Character of Gain on Disposition of Diesel Power Stock
Petitioner acquired all of Diesel Power's stock from his
father and Mr. Taleghani in 1958. He paid nothing for it.
In December 1977 petitioner sold all of the stock he then
owned in Diesel Power to Mr. and Mrs. Khalatbari. Under the sale
agreement, he was to be paid $3,300,000 on December 21, 1977,
$625,000 on March 1, 1978, $700,000 on or before December 15,
1978, and $265,000 on or before December 3, 1979. The total cash
- 104 -
payments amount to $4,890,000. In addition, petitioner was to
receive 40 percent of any amounts paid from Diesel Power's
pending claim in arbitration against Clark. Petitioner was to
also receive 40 percent of the claim by Diesel Power against
Ingersoll-Rand from the cancellation of the Ingersoll-Rand
franchise.
On his 1977 Federal income tax return petitioner reported a
long-term capital gain in the amount of $4,805,864 from the sale
of 200 shares of Diesel Power stock he had held since 1958. His
claimed basis in the Diesel Power stock was $3,525,000. The
gross sale price of $4,809,389 was approximately $80,000 less
than the contract sale price.
In the notice of deficiency for 1977 respondent determined,
pursuant to section 1248, that petitioner was required to treat
the gain from the sale of his Diesel Power Stock as ordinary
dividend income, rather than long-term capital gain. Respondent
also determined that the gain from the stock sale was $3,925,000,
rather than $4,805,864 as reported on petitioner's 1977 return.
Petitioner satisfies all requirements for section 1248 to
apply. Petitioner has been a U.S. citizen since 1953 and was a
citizen during the years at issue. He owned 100 percent of
Diesel Power stock until late 1974, which was within Diesel
Power's 1974 fiscal year ending March 20, 1975. Petitioner owned
over 40 percent thereafter until 1977. For the period March 22,
- 105 -
1972, through March 21, 1973, petitioner reported 100 percent
ownership of Diesel Power's voting stock on an Information Return
with Respect to Controlled Foreign Corporation (Form 2952) filed
with the Internal Revenue Service. Diesel Power's foreign
commission deposits from the Bank of America in New York City,
combined with the retained earnings and amounts due shareholders
on the Diesel Power financial statements, show that during its
fiscal year ending March 20, 1975, retained earnings and profits
exceeded $5 million.
VI. Claimed Capital Losses for 1978 and 1979
Petitioner claimed capital losses for 1978 and 1979. On his
1978 Federal income tax return petitioner reported a short-term
capital loss of $15,767 from the sale of commodity futures. He
deducted $3,000 of the reported loss and carried over to his 1979
return a loss of $12,767. For 1979 he applied the short-term
capital loss carryover of $12,767 against a short-term capital
gain of $7,500. In 1979 he also reported a net long-term loss of
$8,229 from small business corporations. He deducted $3,000 of
the claimed net losses in 1979.
In the notice of deficiency for 1978 and 1979 respondent
disallowed the claimed losses and determined that petitioner was
required to include the $7,500 short-term gain in his 1979
taxable income. Respondent disallowed the losses because
petitioner did not establish that they were incurred, nor did
- 106 -
petitioner establish his basis in the commodity futures reported
in 1978.
Petitioner presented no evidence, such as canceled checks,
brokerage statements, or sale agreements, to support the capital
losses claimed in 1978 and 1979. Therefore, his taxable income
should be increased by $3,000 in 1978 and $10,500 in 1975.
VII. Asserted Claim of Right for 1979
When petitioner sold his Diesel Power stock to the
Khalatbaris in 1977, the sale price was $4,890,000 plus 40
percent of certain additional commission income. By March 1978
petitioner had received $3,925,000 for the stock sale. On his
1977 income tax return petitioner reported his gross sale price
for the Diesel Power stock as $4,809,389, or $806,111 less than
the cash sale price, excluding the potential additional
commission income.
In 1975 and, thus, prior to petitioner's sale of the Diesel
Power stock, the following events occurred: Clark canceled its
distribution agreement with Diesel Power; Ingersoll-Rand canceled
its agreement with Diesel Power; all commission agreements with
Lockheed were canceled; and the Ashland agreement for crude oil
purchases, joint refining ventures and exploration was
terminated.
- 107 -
As of March 1979, prior to the time the original 1979 return
was filed, Special Agent Bennett had begun a criminal
investigation regarding petitioner's tax returns.
On petitioner's 1979 joint Federal income tax return, as
originally filed, petitioner included in income $1,617,761 which
he had received, had in his possession, and for which he claimed
ownership. Petitioner filed an amended joint return for 1979,
claiming that his 1979 income should be reduced by $348,350.
Petitioner states that this amount is attributable to a lawsuit
involving the 1977 sale of his Diesel Power stock. The record
contains no explanation as to how the $348,350 claimed reduction
was calculated.
On the joint 1981 tax return petitioner claimed that the
calculated tax due of $315,928 should be reduced to $0.
Petitioner states that he is entitled to deduct $735,000
previously included in income under a claim of right because that
amount had been repaid. The only evidence offered in support of
the $735,000 calculation was Exhibit 556-UJ. That exhibit was
admitted by the Court for the limited purpose of establishing
that litigation had occurred.
The 1977 sale of Diesel Power stock was a separate tax event
from the 1979 claim of right over commission income held by
petitioner. Therefore, he is not entitled to reduce reported
1979 income by the $348,350 unexplained claim.
- 108 -
VIII. Claimed Schedule C Expense Deductions
For the years 1973 through 1981 respondent disallowed
claimed expense deductions in the deficiency notices because (1)
they had not been substantiated, (2) they were not shown to be
ordinary and necessary, or (3) they were not shown to be the
expenses of petitioner, but were those of another taxpayer.24
A. Cost of Goods Sold for 1973
For the year 1973 petitioner had purchase debits
(expenditures) in the total amount of $100,966.70, computed as
follows:
Purchase Debits
Company (Expenditures)
Portec-Pioneer $22,029.00
Kuehnennagel 766.23
Hobart Brothers 5,134.94
Hobart Brothers 36.38
Hobart Brothers 1,006.53
Intersoll Rand, SA 6,930.00
F. Khalatbari 15,233.00
Atlantic Richfield 10,058.62
Galion 39,772.00
Total purchase debits $100,966.70
For the year 1973 petitioner's purchase credits
(reimbursements of purchase expenditures) were in the total
amount of $122,888.07, computed as follows:
24
Certain adjustments have been resolved by the parties and can be
reflected in the Rule 155 computations.
- 109 -
Company Date Purchase (CR)
Morrison-Knudson 01/04/73 $11,546.12
03/12/73 5,134.95
04/13/73 1,006.53
$17,687.60
Galion 05/11/73 335.33
Imico/Imiss 06/07/73 85.00
11/21/73 39,772.00 39,857.00
Pioneer-Portec 07/12/73 14,891.74
07/12/73 18.65 14,910.39
Company Date Purchase (CR)
Iran Aircraft 10/12/73 17,560.03
Atl. Richfield 11/01/73 10,058.62
Massey Insurance 449.50
Pioneer Ret. ck 03/20/73 22,029.00
Total purchase credits $122,888.47
For the year 1973 petitioner's purchase credits of
$122,888.07 exceed purchase debits of $100,966.70 by $21,921.37.
On his 1973 income tax return petitioner claimed cost of goods
sold in the amount of $11,320.75. According to this method of
computing cost of goods sold, purchase debits were goods
purchased, and purchase credits were reimbursements received.
For the year 1973 petitioner overstated cost of goods sold
by $33,242.12.
- 110 -
B. Cost of Goods Sold for 1977
For the year 1977 petitioner's total cost of goods sold was
$525,714.36. Galion was the principal payee, but others were
listed as GMOO, GMODC, Clark, and Cantwell. Petitioner claimed
cost of goods sold on his Schedule C for 1977 in the total amount
of $594,530. Therefore, cost of goods sold for 1977 was
overstated by $68,815.64.
C. Cost of Goods Sold for 1978, 1979, and 1981
For the years 1978, 1979, and 1981 respondent increased
petitioner's deductions for cost of goods sold in the amounts of
$148,706, $95,633.60 and $5,862, respectively, because they were
related to additional income respondent determined that
petitioner received from Galion. Having found that petitioner's
taxable income should be increased by the amounts received from
Galion, respondent correctly increased petitioner's cost of goods
sold for those years.
D. Claimed Deductions for Commission Expenses
Hillary Wood resided in Paris, France, during the 1970's.
The only service provided by Ms. Wood to petitioner was to
introduce him to Minister of Court Alam. Petitioner met Ms. Wood
only once at a dinner party at which she accompanied an employee
of Continental Oil. Petitioner made payments to Hillary Wood in
the amounts of $1,503.42, $18,041.04, $18,042.24, $18,043.44, and
- 111 -
$18,043.44, respectively, for the years 1973 through 1977. He
deducted these amounts. These claimed commission expenses and
other business expenses with respect to Hillary Wood were not
ordinary and necessary business expenses of petitioner.
In 1973 and 1974 petitioner's brother, I.J. Zand, an
employee of Diesel Power, performed services for petitioner. The
payments he made to I.J. Zand of $16,100 in 1973, $25,000 in
1974, and $2,130 in 1978 were made because Diesel Power could not
fully compensate I.J. Zand. Petitioner deducted these amounts as
a commission expense. The claimed commission expenses constitute
ordinary and necessary business expenses of petitioner.
Petitioner's brother, Monty Zand, assisted petitioner and
Diesel Power in selling some equipment in Iran. Petitioner paid
him $15,000 in 1973 and deducted this amount on his 1973 income
tax return. The commission expense paid to Monty Zand was an
ordinary and necessary business expense of petitioner.
Mehdi Sabety was an employee of Diesel Power. He was not
employed by CTC. He did not render any services to CTC or to
petitioner. Therefore, the commission expenses in the amounts of
$11,000, $10,000, and $2,000 claimed by petitioner with respect
to Mehdi Sabety for the years 1973, 1974, and 1978, respectively,
were not his ordinary and necessary business expenses.
- 112 -
The Bank of Minora was a small Iranian bank that would
exchange U.S. dollars for Iranian rials. Petitioner and CTC
employees used the Bank of Minora to make transfers to Diesel
Power. In 1973 and 1974 petitioner deducted as "commission
expense transfers" to the Bank of Minora the amounts of $23,686
and $30,000. The conversion of currency from U.S. to Iranian was
an ordinary and necessary business expense of petitioner.
Petitioner's cash disbursements journal for 1973 lists a
payment of $35,000 on July 7, 1973, to an illegible payee. This
amount was deducted as a commission expense. It has not been
proven to be an ordinary and necessary business expense of
petitioner.
There is no evidence in the record to support unidentified
commission expenses in the amounts of $170 and $16,000 for the
years 1973 and 1975, respectively, that were claimed by
petitioner on his 1973 and 1975 income tax returns.
Petitioner paid Hossein Zanganeh $80,000 in 1973 and $75,000
in 1974 for assisting him in selling Lockheed aircraft in Iran.
The $80,000 payment is not at issue. Petitioner deducted the
1974 payment as a commission expense. However, Diesel Power
reimbursed petitioner for this payment.
Sadek Massey was an employee of Diesel Power. Petitioner
paid Sadek Massey $2,000 in 1974 and deducted that amount on his
- 113 -
1974 income tax return. There is no evidence in the record of
any business purpose for this payment.
Ladham Alam was the daughter of Mr. Daftari. Petitioner
provided her with funds for her schooling. Petitioner paid
Ladham Alam $4,756 and recorded the payments as expenses of
Diesel Power. Petitioner claimed a deduction of $5,250 on his
1974 return. There is no evidence in the record of an ordinary
and necessary business purpose for the payments to Ladham Alam in
1974. Thus, it is disallowed as an ordinary and necessary
business expense of petitioner.
Jack Rose of General Motors asked petitioner to be involved
in the efforts to sell GM locomotives to Pakistan. During the
period March 10 through March 14, 1974, petitioner met with
associates of Mr. Khilnani with respect to the sale of GM
locomotives in Pakistan. An agreement was reached on March 14,
1974. Mr. Khilnani was employed by or affiliated with Amelia
Corporation. Petitioner paid Amelia Corporation $234,033.42 in
1975 and $362,003.36 in 1976, and claimed deductions for these
amounts on his Federal income tax returns. There is no evidence
that Diesel Power was involved in the sale of GM locomotives to
Pakistan; all items sold by Diesel Power were shipped exclusively
to Iran. Consequently, the commission expenses in the amounts of
$234,033.42 and $362,003.36 claimed by petitioner with respect to
- 114 -
Amelia Corporation for the years 1975 and 1976, respectively, are
his ordinary and necessary business expenses.
Mr. Emilian was the service manager of Diesel Power. In
1975 petitioner paid lodging expenses, car rental, and medical
expenses for Mr. Emilian's son and $4,443 in unidentified cash
payments to Mr. Emilian. These payments totaled $7,028.33 and
were deducted on petitioner's 1975 return. Mr. Emilian was
accompanied by his family on a trip to the United States in 1975.
There are no receipts for the lodging, airfare, or car rental
expenses, nor is there any itemization of the $4,443 given to Mr.
Emilian in cash. Therefore, the claimed commission expense is
disallowed as an ordinary and necessary business expense of
petitioner.
In 1975 petitioner paid $1,000 to Mr. Bolanhemat, a former
employee of the Iranian State Railways, who was in the United
States for a training session. Petitioner deducted this amount
in 1975. Petitioner presented no evidence of how the $1,000 was
spent. Furthermore, petitioner presented no evidence of any
connection between Mr. Bolanhemat's training and petitioner's
business. Therefore, the claimed commission expense was not an
ordinary and necessary business expense of petitioner.
Diesel Power attempted to market Lockheed's earth resources
program in Iran. In 1976 petitioner paid $10,000 to Alfred
- 115 -
Borsharpour, who assisted Diesel Power in this venture, and
petitioner deducted this amount on his 1976 Federal income tax
return. This claimed commission expense was not an ordinary and
necessary business expense of petitioner.
In 1976 petitioner paid Don Kahler $1,500 and deducted it as
a commission expense on his 1976 Federal income tax return. Mr.
Kahler was an interior decorator who assisted in redecorating
CTC's offices, kitchen, and conference room. The payment of
$1,500 was in settlement of a disputed bill. Although not a
commission expense, it was an ordinary and necessary business of
CTC, petitioner's sole proprietorship.
In 1978 petitioner paid $500 to Celia Longenbaker, an
employee of Caspian Development Company (CDC), and $736.54 to TWA
for a Mr. Rayhanni's travel expenses to Chicago. Petitioner
deducted these amounts as commission expenses in 1978. There is
no evidence in the record of the business purpose of Mr.
Rayhanni's travel to Chicago nor an explanation why the $500
check was written to Celia Longenbaker. Therefore, this claimed
commission expense is not an ordinary and necessary business
expense of petitioner.
E. Claimed Deductions for Consulting Fees
Larry Castoe was a stockbroker who provided brokerage and
financial services to petitioner, Diesel Power, and others.
Petitioner purchased stock through Mr. Castoe on one or two
occasions as did Mr. Khalatbari. Petitioner provided Mr. Castoe
- 116 -
with office space and paid him a monthly fee; petitioner also
paid for various office supplies, stock exchange fees, and
financial publications and services. Petitioner claimed
professional fee deductions of $9,312.49 in 1976 for payments
made on behalf of Mr. Castoe. Petitioner also claimed consulting
fee deductions in the amounts of $18,266.10 in 1977, $14,377.13
in 1978, and $12,445.39 in 1979 for fees paid to or on behalf of
Mr. Castoe. Petitioner did not have an extensive investment
portfolio during the years at issue. Other than through earnings
and capital gains on his investments, there is no evidence
showing how petitioner was to personally profit from Mr. Castoe's
activities. Therefore, the claimed deductions for consulting
fees and professional fees were not ordinary and necessary
business expenses of petitioner.
In 1978 petitioner and Harris Corporation reached an
agreement whereby he would provide aid and assistance to Harris
Corporation in its areas of foreign operations for a period of 10
years for which he would be compensated $300,000 per year. The
agreement provided that all matters with respect to Harris'
operations would remain confidential; petitioner had no authority
to bind or obligate Harris without specific written
authorization. Petitioner engaged his brother, I.J. Zand, to
assist him in providing services to Harris Corporation and agreed
to split the fees to be paid by Harris Corporation with his
- 117 -
brother. Petitioner paid I.J. Zand $100,000 in 1978 and deducted
that amount on his 1978 Federal income tax return. Respondent
has conceded that this payment was deductible in 1978. CTC's
1979 disbursement journal lists an account payable to I.J. Zand
on June 15, 1979, in the amount of $50,000. However, neither
petitioner's books nor other evidence show when this account
payable to I.J. Zand was paid, if at all. Petitioner deducted
the $50,000 on his 1979 income tax return. Therefore, the
consulting fee in the amount of $50,000 to I.J. Zand is not
deductible by petitioner in 1979 because he has not shown that
the amount was paid.
F. Claimed Deductions for Management Fees
Caspian Development Company (CDC) was incorporated on
September 17, 1976, and 100 shares of stock were issued.
Petitioner held 51 voting shares, Mr. Khalatbari held 24 voting
shares, Diana Khalatbari held 24 nonvoting shares, and Priscilla
Meier held 1 nonvoting share. The officers of CDC were
petitioner, president; Joe Dinunzio (petitioner's son-in-law),
vice president; Clem Meier, vice president; and Priscilla Meier,
secretary.
CDC was described as a payroll company. CDC had a number of
subsidiaries during the years at issue, including Caspian
Electric Company, Caspian Farms Systems, Caspian Machinery, and
Charleston, Inc. In addition, CDC owned Madison County Farm.
- 118 -
CDC was also a 70 percent partner in Green Prairie Partnership,
whose principal asset was a farm in Alabama; and CDC was a 50-
percent partner in Franklin Green Partnership whose principal
assets were buildings on the Bowling Green Farm (another farm
partnership). Petitioner and Clem Meier each held a 25-percent
partnership interest in the Franklin Green Partnership.
Petitioner claimed a CDC management fee expense on his 1977
Federal income tax return in the amount of $96,396. There is no
evidence showing either how this amount was determined or what
services CDC rendered to petitioner for this fee. Furthermore,
Mr. Dutton, petitioner's 1977 return preparer, could not confirm
that a disbursement on June 22, 1977, in the amount of $100,000
to CDC was for a management fee or for any other specific
services. Therefore, the claimed management fee deduction of
$96,396 neither is an ordinary and necessary business expense of
petitioner nor was paid.
The CDC management fee expense claimed for the year 1978 in
the amount of $72,609 consists of wages, payroll taxes on wages,
a management fee equal to 10 percent of the wage expense, and
rent, less a rent credit. There is nothing in the record to show
that the purpose of the wage expense percentage was a management
fee. Furthermore, instead of reporting the rent credit (the rent
expense of CDC to petitioner) on his 1978 Federal income tax
- 119 -
return, petitioner offset the amount claimed as a management fee
expense by the amount of the rent credit received.
During 1979 petitioner computed a management fee payable to
CDC in the amount of $67,943 in a similar manner. However,
petitioner failed to offset the amount claimed as a management
fee expense by the rent credit, which was $16,269. Petitioner
also did not report the rent credit as rental income on his 1979
tax return. The computation of the management fee for 1979 lists
two accounts payable to CDC in the amounts of $44,475.29 and
$7,198.69.
Petitioner has not substantiated that the alleged management
fees claimed in 1978 and 1979 to CDC were actually paid.
Although petitioner's cash disbursements journal for 1978 lists a
number of payments to CDC, the purpose for most of the payments
is not identified, and none of the listed payments match the
amounts reflected in Exhibit 3138. Furthermore, during 1978 CDC
owed petitioner $1,303,460 for loans or similar debts. Certain
other payments reflected in the 1978 disbursements journal are
listed under a column identified as rent. These amounts pertain
to the deduction claimed on petitioner's Schedule C for 1978 rent
expense of $31,842.
During 1979 petitioner did not issue any checks to CDC in
payment of the claimed management fees. The cash disbursements
- 120 -
journal for 1979 does not list any disbursements from CTC to CDC
as payment of management fees.
Thus, petitioner presented no evidence that the management
fees for 1978 and 1979 were paid; likewise, there is no evidence
of specific offsets made in payment of the management fees for
which the deductions were claimed. Therefore, these claimed
management fees for 1978 and 1979 are not deductible by
petitioner because they are not his ordinary and necessary
business expenses; furthermore, the amounts claimed were not
shown to have been paid.
G. Claimed Deductions for Consulting Fees or Salary
CDC issued two invoices to CTC, dated February 29, 1980, in
the amount of $6,487.83, and April 9, 1980, in the amount of
$461.73. These invoices were offered in support of deductions
claimed for consulting fees and salaries of $102,101 and for
investment counsel fees of $4,500. Petitioner's cash
disbursements journal for 1980 does not reflect payment of these
amounts. Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to deductions
claimed for consulting fees and salaries of $102,101 and
investment counsel fees of $4,500 for 1980 because these amounts
are not his ordinary and necessary business expenses and the
amounts were not paid.
- 121 -
H. Claimed Deductions for Legal and Professional Fees
In 1975 petitioner paid DuBois Jansson $2,907.34 for
services rendered with respect to acquiring railroad equipment
that would be sold to the Iranian State Railway. Petitioner
deducted this amount on his 1975 Federal income tax return. On
his tax returns and in his books and records for the years 1973
through 1977 petitioner took the position that the income from
only 40 percent of the products sold to Iranian State Railways
was taxable to him. Petitioner contends that the income from the
remaining 60 percent of the products sold constituted income of
Diesel Power. Because we have found that all of the income was
petitioner's, he is entitled to deduct professional fees of
$2,907.34 paid to DuBois Jansson for 1975.
During the years 1976, 1977, and 1978 petitioner deducted
legal fees paid to the law firm of George, Greek, King, McMahon &
McConnaughey in amounts that were at least $57,921.08,
$57,419.26, and $25,059.21, respectively. These fees were paid
for a variety of services, including acquisitions of real estate,
matters involving the Harris Corporation, handling the
arbitration of a dispute between Clark and Diesel Power, handling
a home purchase matter for petitioner's brother, Monty Zand,
landlord-tenant issues, research concerning joint ventures,
matters involving insurance and pension plans, tax matters,
preparations of a will and trust, and a number of conferences
- 122 -
concerning various farms. Of the total amounts paid to the
George, Greek law firm for the years 1976, 1977, and 1978, the
amounts of $20,607,58 (1976), $17,950.59 (1977), and $6,315.68
(1978) were paid with respect to the Clark arbitration involving
Diesel Power.
Other legal and professional fees paid by petitioner with
respect to the Clark arbitration matter involving Diesel Power
were payments to the law firm of Walder, Wyss, & Maier in the
amounts of $1,400.85 for 1976 and $761.71 for 1977, Coudert
Freres in the amount of $500 in 1976, and a deposit paid to A.
Sarasin & Cie in the amount of $22,500 in 1977.
When Clark canceled its distributorship with Diesel Power,
Diesel Power was left with Clark equipment inventory on hand that
it could not sell. The distributorship agreement provided for
arbitration to resolve such disputes. In this matter Diesel
Power was represented by the George, Greek, law firm.
The legal and professional fees claimed by petitioner as
paid to George, Greek in the amounts of $57,921.08, $57,419.26,
and $25,059.21 for the years 1976, 1977, and 1978, respectively,
are not deductible because it has not been shown that these
amounts were ordinary and necessary business expenses of
petitioner. The legal and professional fees deducted by
petitioner concerning the Clark arbitration matter and paid to
Walder, Wyss & Maier in the amount of $1,485 for 1976 and $761.71
- 123 -
for 1977, and to Coudert Freres in the amount of $22,500 in 1977
are not deductible because they were not ordinary and necessary
business expenses of petitioner.
The professional fee claimed by petitioner in the amount of
$9,312.49 in 1976 paid to Larry Castoe was not his ordinary and
necessary business expense.
During 1976 petitioner paid $19,799.12 to J. Foley, an
architect. This amount is includes $4,779.12 paid with respect
to a housing project for General Dynamics and $15,000 paid with
respect to the purchase and construction of the building on
Riverside Drive that housed CTC's operations. For the years at
issue petitioner reported no income from General Dynamics or a
housing project. These professional fees were not ordinary and
necessary business expenses of petitioner. Instead, they were
capital expenditures.
In 1977 petitioner paid the accounting firm of Price
Waterhouse & Company the amount of $2,425.20 for Price
Waterhouse's annual fees as resident agent for WHIP, a Bahamian
corporation. He deducted this amount on his 1977 return. This
payment was an ordinary and necessary business expense of
petitioner because WHIP was merely a shell corporation.
In 1978 petitioner issued two checks in the total amount of
$5,000 to Sandra Rossi and Celia Longenbaker. These payments
were recorded in CTC's journal as payment for Mr. Shamloo, an
- 124 -
Iranian lawyer. Petitioner deducted these two payments in 1978.
There is no evidence as to the business purpose of these payments
or why they were made to Sandra Rossi and Celia Longenbaker
instead of Mr. Shamloo. Therefore, they are disallowed.
In 1979 petitioner deducted legal fees paid to the New York
law firm of White & Case in the amount of $3,710. Of this amount
$2,660 represents fees paid in connection with the purchase of a
cooperative apartment in New York City for petitioner's daughter.
This amount ($2,660) is disallowed as an ordinary and necessary
business expense of petitioner.
In 1979 petitioner deducted a legal fee paid to the law firm
Chester, Saxbe, Hoffman & Wilcox in the amount of $910. There is
no evidence in the record of the business purpose for this
payment. Therefore, it is disallowed.
I. Claimed Deductions for Salaries and Wages
In 1974 and 1976 petitioner paid his brother, I.J. Zand,
$9,000 and $5,000, respectively. Petitioner deducted these
amounts as salaries or wages. I.J. Zand was not paid the amounts
due to any employment by CTC or petitioner. Rather, I.J. Zand
was an employee of Diesel Power from 1971 through 1976.
Therefore, the deducted amounts are disallowed.
J. Claimed Deductions for Office Expenses
In 1973 petitioner acquired a desk costing $1,202.24 and
other furniture costing $296.25. He expensed these purchases and
- 125 -
claimed depreciation on a desk with a basis of $1,202.24 and on
furniture with a basis of $296.25. These furniture costs were
not an ordinary and necessary business expenses. Instead, they
were capital expenses.
In 1974 petitioner acquired a Morgan desk costing $592.28, a
Lazarus office machine costing $258.76, a Morgan desk costing
$954.97, an IBM typewriter costing $696, and telephone equipment
costing $1,518.40. He deducted these items on his 1974 return.
They were not ordinary and necessary business expenses; they were
capital expenses.
For the years 1975 and 1976 petitioner claimed deductions
for office furniture and equipment in the amounts of $16,873.59
and $4,407.96, respectively. There is no evidence in the record
regarding these expenditures. In the notice of deficiency for
the years 1975 and 1976 respondent capitalized various items of
office furniture and equipment, and these amounts were set forth
in the depreciation schedule attached to the notice. These
expenditures were not ordinary and necessary business expenses
but were capital expenditures.
In 1973 petitioner purchased briefcases from Albanese in the
amount of $1,500 and Bruni in the amount of $350 that were given
to various Iranians. He deducted these purchases. He also
claimed a deduction in 1973 for Christmas gifts in the amount of
$404.80. There is no evidence in the record regarding the
- 126 -
recipients of the Christmas gifts and briefcases, the business
purpose for the gifts, or the amount in gifts to any one
individual for the year. Therefore, the claimed deductions are
disallowed.
In 1975 petitioner made a payment to Ohio Bell in the amount
of $7,359.75 for a telephone bill dated November 14, 1975, which
contains a one-time charge of $6,626.30 and other charges for
services of $661.16. Petitioner deducted the entire bill of
$7,359.75 on his 1975 return. There is no evidence in the record
as to the type of equipment or service or the business purpose
for the one time charge of $6,626.30. Therefore, it is
disallowed. Respondent concedes the remainder ($661.16).
In 1975 petitioner claimed a deduction for office expenses
of $1,121.29 paid to American Express, a refund of $174.05, a
bank overcharge of $102.36, and insurance premiums of $1,000.
For the year 1977 petitioner claimed office expenses for $25 paid
to the University Club, $85 paid to Susie Strong, $211.05 paid to
Mehdi Sabety, and $100 paid to Donna Stone. There is no evidence
in the record of the business purposes for these payments.
Therefore, they are disallowed.
Petitioner claimed deductions for dues paid to the Columbus
Country Club in the amounts of $45, $585, and $468, and to the
OSU Faculty Club in the amounts of $77, $108, and $99, for the
years 1975, 1976, and 1977. Petitioner also paid golf club dues
- 127 -
of $250 in 1977. In 1976 his daughter's wedding reception was
held at the Columbus Country Club, and he was billed $7,631.77
for the reception. Petitioner maintained no records comparing
his business use to his personal use of these clubs, nor did he
keep records of the dates that he used the clubs for business
purposes or the nature of their business use. Hence, the office
expenses claimed for the dues paid to the Columbus Country Club
and the OSU Faculty Club are disallowed.
In 1977 petitioner deducted as office expenses $215.22 paid
to Standard Oil and $358.17 paid to Ed Potter. In 1977 he paid
several Standard Oil charges incurred by his son-in-law, Joe
Dinunzio. In 1977 also he paid two auto repair bills made out to
C.J. Maier. The bill dated November 28, 1977, is noted CDC.
These claimed deductions are disallowed.
In 1977 and 1978 petitioner deducted payments to Eva Carlson
in the amounts of $830.11 and $468.12. Eva Carlson later became
Eva Zand. There is no evidence showing the purpose of these
payments. Therefore, they are disallowed.
In 1978 petitioner deducted $9,000 paid as prepaid rent for
the year 1979 for the rental of his son-in-law's, Joe Dinunzio's,
condominium in Naples, Florida. The amount of the rent paid was
based on the estimated fair rental value of the condominium plus
the cost of furnishing it. Mr. Dinunzio acquired the condominium
in the fall of 1978 from the Riviera Condominium Company of
- 128 -
Naples. Petitioner was a shareholder of the Riveria Condominium
Company of Naples. In 1979 and 1980 petitioner owned two
condominiums in the Riveria Condominium Complex. Clem and
Priscilla Meier also owned a condominium in the same area.
Mr. Dinunzio was no stranger to petitioner. In 1976, at age
20 and while still in college, Mr. Dinunzio married petitioner's
daughter, Sherie. After graduating from college, he began
working for some of the entities that petitioner controlled. For
example, Mr. Dinunzio was vice-president of CDC, Caspian
Machinery, Caspian Electric, and Caspian Florida. Furthermore,
petitioner purchased a home in Columbus for Mr. Dinunzio and his
daughter. Petitioner also provided Mr. Dinunzio with a Cadillac.
Mr. Dinunzio maintained diaries showing who used the
condominium during the years 1979 and 1980. Some of the persons
who used Mr. Dinunzio's condominium were employees of CDC, such
as Cindy Seaman, Celia Longenbaker, Priscilla Meier, Jane
Kellermeyer, Steve Dutton, and Mr. Dinunzio; others who used the
condominium included business associates who wished to bid on
work that was to be done on a building being constructed by CDC,
clients of petitioner, and friends of Mr. Dinunzio.
In addition, for the year 1980 petitioner substantiated
payments in the amount of $3,360.74 for Mr. Dinunzio's Florida
condominium. However, petitioner deducted $4,022.68 with respect
to this condominium as rent expense.
- 129 -
The rent expenses claimed by petitioner with respect to Mr.
Dinunzio's Florida condominium--$9,000 in 1978 and $4,022.68 in
1980--were not shown to be petitioner's ordinary and necessary
business expenses. Moreover, he has not substantiated that he
paid more than $3,360.74 for 1980.
Additionally, for the year 1980 petitioner deducted as rent
expense $6,451.86 paid for a New York city condominium for his
daughter. This claimed deduction is disallowed.
K. Claimed Deductions for Interest Expenses
In 1967 Mehdi Sabety invested $20,000 through petitioner in
fast-moving General Motors parts or in an entity known as Caspian
International Jordan. Petitioner did not sign a note or incur
personal liability to Mr. Sabety. At the rate of $250 per month
beginning in 1967, Mr. Sabety would receive, in principal and/or
interest, 15 percent of his investment each year the payments
continued.
Petitioner made payments to Mehdi Sabety in the amounts of
$3,000 for 1973, $3,000 for 1974, $2,950.96 for 1975, $3,000 for
1976, and $1,000 for 1977. He claimed interest expense paid to
Mr. Sabety of $3,250 in 1973, $3,000 in 1974, $2,950.96 in 1975,
$3,000 in 1976, and $2,404.80 in 1977. Because petitioner has
failed to prove what part of the payments represented interest
and what part represented principal, these amounts claimed as
interest expenses are disallowed.
- 130 -
For the year 1975 petitioner claimed an interest expense
paid to Diesel Power in the amount of $137,500.17 on his original
income tax return. Petitioner's amended tax return for 1975
reduced the interest expense paid to Diesel Power by $41,245.39.
On December 30, 1975, petitioner paid Diesel Power $125,000.
This amount is listed in CTC's cash disbursements journal under
the transfer column; it is noted as "interest on loan" drawn by
petitioner. In 1978 his accountant listed this payment as a
transfer.
Petitioner did not introduce into evidence any notes or
other loan documents evidencing a debtor-creditor relationship
between himself and Diesel Power. Testimony presented at trial
with respect to moneys borrowed by petitioner from Diesel Power
was not specific with respect to the amounts of such alleged
loans, dates of such loans, interest rates, or repayment
schedules. Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to any interest
deduction in 1975 for the amount paid to Diesel Power in 1975.
On June 1, 1976, petitioner paid W.P. Glass $24,400.87.
This amount was deducted as interest expense. This payment was
for the purchase of real estate for the A-Z Ranch Partnership.
Therefore, it is not deductible as interest expense.
In 1976 petitioner made three payments to Crown Life
Insurance totaling $178.80. In 1976 he deducted $219.80 as
- 131 -
interest paid to Crown Life. There is no evidence that these
payments were for interest. Thus, they are disallowed.
On September 10, 1979, three members of the Mirhosseini
family each lent petitioner $80,000. Petitioner agreed to invest
a total sum of $240,000 in his operating companies and to provide
the Mirhosseini family with a return on the principal of 25
percent per year, payable quarterly in advance. During
approximately the same time period petitioner borrowed other
funds at interest rates of 8 percent to 12-1/2 percent. He
deducted as interest paid to the Mirhosseini family $15,000 in
1979, $43,879 in 1980, and $36,000 in 1981. However,
petitioner's journals show no payments to the Mirhosseinis in
1979, 1980, and 1981. Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to
any deduction for interest expense for payments to the
Mirhosseini family in 1979, 1980, and 1981.
In 1977 petitioner created six trusts, two for each of his
three daughters. The two trusts for each daughter were funded
with $25,000 and $75,000. Each of the trusts was for a term of
10 years and 1 day. The three trustees of the trusts were
Priscilla Meier, George Hairston, and David Johnston. The terms
of the trust agreements granted the three trustees investment
discretion. In 1977 trust funds were lent to CDC, a corporation
in which petitioner held a controlling interest. The loans were
repaid to the trusts. On February 5, 1980, the corpus of each
- 132 -
trust was lent to petitioner with a rate of return of 12 percent
per annum. Petitioner gave a mortgage on his residence and
condominium as security for the loans.
Petitioner claimed deductions for interest paid to the
trusts in the amounts of $30,000 in 1980 and $45,000 in 1981.
Priscilla Meier was an employee of petitioner or CDC.
George Hairston and David Johnston, the other trustees, were
attorneys. The funds in the trusts were invested in entities
controlled by petitioner. The trustees, acting in unison, were
independent and not subordinate or subservient to petitioner, the
grantor. Petitioner is entitled to the deductions for interest
paid to the J.J. Zand trusts for the years 1980 and 1981.
L. Claimed Deductions for Insurance Expenses
Petitioner is entitled to deduct insurance expenses of $825
for 1974 and $1,458 for 1975. He is not entitled to deduct
$1,365 for 1977 because the amount was not identified. In 1980
petitioner paid insurance premiums to McElroy-Minister in the
amount of $5,385. The policy with McElroy-Minister was a
liability policy covering various companies owned by him,
including CDC, CDC's four subsidiaries, and CTC. This amount is
deductible.
M. Claimed Deductions for Dues and Publications
In the notice of deficiency for 1978, 1979, and 1980, and
1981 respondent disallowed deductions claimed for dues and
- 133 -
publications in the amounts of $2,211, $4,168, $1,979, and
$1,873, respectively. On brief petitioner conceded the amounts
of $1,734.08 for 1978, $624 for 1979, and $624 for 1981.
Respondent conceded $926 for 1979 and $234 for 1980. The
remaining amounts of $476.08 for 1978, $2,618 for 1979, $1,745
for 1980, and $1,249 for 1981 were not ordinary and necessary
business expenses of petitioner, and are, therefore, disallowed.
N. Claimed Deductions for Depreciation
In the notice of deficiency for the years 1973 and 1976
respondent disallowed depreciation claimed by petitioner in the
amounts of $560.90 and $10,902.44, respectively. Petitioner
presented no evidence to refute respondent's determination.
Therefore, the amounts are disallowed.
From 1974 through 1976 petitioner owned an apartment in
Kitzbuhel, an Austrian village located in the Tirol Mountains
noted for its skiing. Petitioner skied in Kitzbuhel and took
skiing lessons there. Petitioner, his family, and his friends
used the Kitzbuhel apartment for personal vacations.
Petitioner claimed depreciation expenses on the Kitzbuhel
apartment in the amounts of $3,366.90 in 1974 and $3,990.91 in
1975. He did not keep any records of the number of days the
Kitzbuhel apartment was used for business compared to the number
of days of personal use. Therefore, he is not entitled to any
depreciation expenses on the Kitzbuhel apartment for the years
- 134 -
1974 and 1975 because he has not shown that it was an asset used
in his trade or business or for the production of income.
In 1978 petitioner provided Cadillacs to Mr. Dinunzio (his
son-in-law), Mr. Dutton, and Clem and Priscilla Meier, each of
whom was a CDC employee. Petitioner also had an automobile. He
claimed depreciation on automobiles in the amounts of $9,311.30
in 1974, $8,280.80 in 1975, $7,339 in 1977, $13,865 in 1978,
$12,000 in 1979, $12,000 in 1980, and $645 in 1981.
In the notices of deficiency respondent allowed automobile
depreciation of $4,072 in 1974 and $2,068 for each of the years
1978 through 1980.
Petitioner presented no evidence with respect to the basis
claimed for the various automobiles reflected on his depreciation
schedules. He and the employees admitted that the automobiles
were often used for personal purposes. Mr. Dinunzio, Mr. Dutton,
and the Meiers sometimes used the automobiles provided by
petitioner in their employment for CDC or its subsidiaries.
Petitioner is not entitled to depreciation expenses on the
automobiles in excess of the amounts allowed by respondent
because he has not shown the extent to which the automobiles were
used in his trade or business or his bases in the automobiles.
Petitioner is not entitled to a loss of $2,716 claimed on
the trade-in of automobiles for 1978.
- 135 -
O. Claimed Rental Loss
In 1975 petitioner claimed a rental loss of $41,049.53. In
the notice of deficiency respondent reduced the loss by $35,228.
There is no evidence to support rental expenses claimed by
petitioner in computing his rental loss for the year 1975.
Therefore, it is not allowed.
P. Claimed Rent Expense--London
In 1976 petitioner deducted $10,000 paid to his brother-in-
law and sister, Farshid and Diana Khalatbari, for the use of
their London apartment, limousine, and chauffeur. He did not
present any evidence to show the number of days he used the
London apartment or the business purpose for such use.
Therefore, because petitioner has not shown that this $10,000
rental expense was an ordinary and necessary business expense or
that he satisfied the record-keeping requirements of section 274
with respect to foreign travel, he is not entitled to a deduction
for rental expense.
Q. Claimed Deduction for Loan Origination Fee
On May 25, 1978, petitioner paid W. Lyman Case & Company
$7,000 as a loan origination fee for the purchase of the Madison
County Farm. He deducted this payment in 1978. The Madison
County Farm was owned by CDC in 1978. Therefore, petitioner is
not entitled to the claimed deduction for the loan fee because
- 136 -
the amount was a capital expense of CDC; it was neither an
ordinary and necessary business expense nor an interest expense
of petitioner.
R. Claimed Moving Expense Deduction
In 1979 petitioner deducted a moving expense paid for Mr.
Dutton in the amount of $1,227. Mr. Dutton was an employee of
CDC. Therefore, it is disallowed because it was not an ordinary
and necessary business expense of petitioner.
S. Investment Tax Credits
In the notices of deficiency respondent allowed additional
investment tax credits in the amounts of $280.60 for 1974,
$1,353.53 for 1975, and $695.15 for 1977. Respondent disallowed
investment tax credits in the amounts of $475.89 for 1976,
$688.24 for 1978, and $599.60 for 1979. Respondent determined
that petitioner is liable for investment tax credit recapture of
$344.58 for 1973. Petitioner presented no evidence with respect
to the investment tax credits set forth in the notices of
deficiency. Therefore, he is not entitled to those investment
tax credits disallowed by respondent, and he is liable for the
investment tax credit recapture.
T. Claimed Deductions for Travel and Entertainment Expenses
For the years 1973 through 1981 petitioner's claimed,
allowed, and disallowed travel and entertainment expenses were as
follows:
- 137 -
Amount Claimed Amount Allowed Amount Disallowed
Year by Petitioner by Respondent by Respondent
1973 $98,481.64 $78,568.27 $19,913.37
1974 126,068.79 50,784.39 75,284.40
1975 157,946.48 80,631.47 77,315.01
1976 98,578.45 78,578.45 20,000.00
1977 60,184.00 -0- 60,184.00
1978 74,970.00 -0- 74,970.00
1979 41,444.00 -0- 41,444.00
1980 28,368.00 -0- 28,368.00
1981 19,604.00 -0- 19,604.00
Respondent disallowed the above travel and entertainment
expenses on the grounds that (1) they were not petitioner's
ordinary and necessary business expenses, (2) they were not
expended for the purposes designated, or (3) they were not
substantiated in accordance with the requirements of section 274.
For each of the years 1973 through 1979 petitioner kept a
travel diary that reflected both his location and the names of
individuals he met with and entertained. However, in most
instances the business purpose and the place of lodging or
entertainment are omitted. Many of the individuals named in the
diaries, particularly those for 1973 through 1976, had business
relationships with Diesel Power, WHIP, All Patents, and IGOS. No
witnesses named in petitioner's diaries provided testimony
corroborating any specific meeting, entertainment, or expense
reflected in the diaries. Furthermore, petitioner's employees
and office personnel acted pursuant to his directions; hence,
- 138 -
none of them had independent knowledge pertaining to his
underlying claimed expenses for travel and entertainment.
By the Court's Order dated October 9, 1992, summaries of the
diaries for 1973 (Pet. Exh. 3114), 1974 (Pet. Exh. 3116), 1975
(Pet Exh. 3118), 1976 (Pet. Exh. 3119), 1977 (Pet. Exh. 3120),
1978 (Pet. Exh. 3195), and 1979 (Pet. Exhs. 3202 and 3206), were
not received in evidence. Additionally, because there were no
diaries for 1980 and 1981, the Court did not receive in evidence
petitioner's summaries (Exhs. 3209, 3211, and 3214) of travel and
entertainment expenses claimed for those years.
Petitioner's diaries do not meet the "adequate records"
substantiation requirements necessary to deduct travel and
entertainment expenses pursuant to section 274.
1973
Although petitioner claimed a deduction of $98,481.64 on his
1973 tax return for travel and entertainment expenses, only
$80,192.81 was recorded in CTC's disbursements journal.
Petitioner claimed cash expenses of $17,500, but his travel diary
showed no more than $8,154 in cash expenses. Some of these were
for personal rather than business expenses. His return preparer
estimated petitioner's cash expenses by comparing the number of
checks petitioner wrote for cash with the number of days his
diary shows he was out of the United States. No allowance was
made for any personal travel. Hence, petitioner is not entitled
- 139 -
to a deduction for travel and entertainment expenses for 1973 in
excess of the amount allowed by respondent.
1974
Although petitioner claimed a deduction of $126,068.70 on
his 1974 tax return for travel and entertainment expenses, only
$76,347.25 was recorded in CTC's disbursements journal.
Petitioner claimed cash expenses of $24,500, but his travel diary
showed no more than $7,495 in cash expenses. Some of these were
for personal rather than business expenses. One of the claimed
travel expenses was a check dated November 22, 1974, to Diesel
Power for $27,618.39 and reflected on petitioner's workpapers as
"Hotel Bill". Again, the return preparer estimated cash expenses
in the same manner as he did for 1973.
Furthermore, petitioner also claimed a $24,000 deduction for
Kitzbuhel office expenses. There is no evidence to support such
claimed expense on Schedule C of his 1974 tax return.
Thus, petitioner is not entitled to a total deduction for
1974 travel and entertainment expenses in excess of the amount
allowed by respondent.
1975
Although petitioner claimed a deduction of $157,946.48 on
his 1975 tax return for travel and entertainment expenses, only
$108,446.48 was recorded in CTC's disbursements journal.
Included in the total amount that he deducted, petitioner claimed
- 140 -
$24,500 for cash expenses, $15,000 for a London apartment, and
$10,000 for his Kitzbuhel apartment. Also included were resident
membership dues for the Columbus Country Club as well as airline
tickets and hotel bills for Diesel Power employees and their
families. While petitioner claimed $24,500 for cash expenses,
his travel diary showed no more than $9,946 in cash expenses.
Some of these were for personal rather than business expenses.
Petitioner's 1975 workpapers failed to show the amounts of
the checks that he wrote for cash in 1975. Instead, the cash
expense was an estimate based on 270 travel days.
Additionally, the return preparer saw no supporting records,
canceled checks, or other documents to support the $15,000
claimed for the London apartment or the $10,000 claimed for the
Kitzbuhel apartment.
Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to a deduction for
1975 travel and entertainment expenses in excess of the amount
allowed by respondent.
1976
Although petitioner claimed a deduction of $98,578.45 for
travel and entertainment expenses on his 1976 tax return, only
$71,565.24 was recorded in CTC's disbursements journal.
Petitioner claimed cash expenses of $15,000, but his travel diary
showed no more than $7,430 in cash expenses. Similarly, expenses
of $5,000 claimed for Kitzbuhel are not substantiated.
- 141 -
Some of petitioner's claimed travel and entertainment
expenses were personal. His workpapers do not show the amounts
of the checks for cash that he wrote in 1976.
Consequently, petitioner is not entitled to a deduction for
1976 travel and entertainment expenses in excess of the amount
allowed by respondent.
1977
Although petitioner claimed a deduction of $60,184.24 on his
1977 income tax return for travel and entertainment expenses,
only $42,631.31 was recorded in CTC's disbursements journal.
Petitioner claimed cash expenses of $17,380, but only $6,470 was
shown in his travel diary. At least $4,212.96 was unidentified.
Many of the claimed expenses were personal. Some of the
claimed expenses related to meetings with Bill McCabe concerning
various Florida real estate projects and exploration of business
opportunities in Naples, Florida.
Petitioner has not shown which travel and entertainment
expenses for 1977 were personal and which were business related.
Therefore, he is not entitled to the claimed deduction for that
year.
1978
Petitioner claimed deductions in 1978 for travel and
entertainment of $74,970, cash expenses of $20,000, and car
expenses of $1,537.03. Respondent disallowed all of the
- 142 -
deductions that petitioner claimed for travel and entertainment,
cash expenses, and car expenses in that year. Only $67,686.10
was recorded on CTC's disbursements journal. Petitioner's travel
diary reflects cash expenses of no more than $6,888. Many of the
cash expenses were personal.
Petitioner's travel and entertainment expenses claimed in
1978 included expenses with respect to his various activities in
Naples, Florida, including activities of the separate
corporations and partnerships of Caspian Development, dealings
with Bill McCabe, and the Gramercy. His claimed travel and
entertainment expenses in 1978 also included expenses relating to
the sale of his Diesel Power stock and his arbitration with Mr.
Khalatbari.
Petitioner has not established which travel and
entertainment expenses for 1978 were personal and which were
business related. Therefore, he is not entitled to the claimed
deduction for that year.
1979
Although petitioner claimed a deduction for 1979 of $41,444
for travel and entertainment expenses and for automobile expenses
of $3,936, only $33,406.04 is recorded in CTC's disbursements
journal. Petitioner conceded $2,141.25 as unidentified.
Travel and entertainment expenses that petitioner claimed in
1979 included expenses relating to various projects in Naples,
- 143 -
Florida, dealings with Bill McCabe, WHIP and CDC employees, and
his litigation with Mr. Khalatbari concerning petitioner's Diesel
Power stock.
Petitioner has not established that he is entitled to the
claimed deductions for travel and entertainment expenses and
automobile expenses for 1979.
1980
Petitioner claimed a deduction on the 1980 tax return for
travel and entertainment expenses of $28,368 and a deduction for
car expenses of $1,926. Only $10,477.76 is reflected on CTC's
1980 disbursements journal. Petitioner conceded that $7,560.22
of the travel and entertainment expenses claimed on the 1980 tax
return is unidentified. No travel diary is in evidence for 1980.
Petitioner has not established that he is entitled to the
claimed deductions for travel and entertainment expenses and
automobile expenses for 1980.
1981
Petitioner claimed a deduction on the 1981 tax return of
$19,604 for travel and entertainment expenses and $231 for car
expenses. Only $554.88 was recorded in CTC's disbursements
journal. Petitioner conceded that $82 of travel and
entertainment expenses claimed on the 1981 return is
unidentified. No travel diary is in evidence for 1981.
- 144 -
Petitioner has not proven that he is entitled to the claimed
deductions for travel and entertainment expenses and for
automobile expenses for 1981.
IX. Claimed Dependency Exemption and Charitable Contribution
Deductions
A. Dependency Exemption Deduction Claimed for Tara Daneshvari
For each of the years 1973 and 1974 petitioner claimed a
dependency exemption for Tara Daneshvari. She was the daughter
of Dr. and Mrs. Daneshvari, Iranians who were living in Columbus,
Ohio.
There is no evidence in the record documenting the period of
time that Tara resided with petitioner, the amount of support
provided by him to her, the amount of support provided by Tara's
parents to her, or facts concerning her status as a resident or
nonresident alien. Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to
dependency exemption deductions claimed for Tara for the years
1973 and 1974.
B. Deduction for Charitable Contribution Claimed for Property
Transferred to the City of Columbus, Ohio
On Schedule A of his 1976 Federal income tax return
petitioner claimed $51,662.62 as a charitable contribution
arising from the transfer of a house located on 3404 Riverside
Drive, Columbus, Ohio, to the City of Columbus. Included in the
amount claimed was $13,000 paid by CTC check dated December 22,
1976. This $13,000 check was issued at petitioner's direction to
- 145 -
the City of Columbus, Department of Recreation and Parks, as a
donation to move the house to the other side of the river where
it was used as a public place. The city did not move the
building until 1977. On December 20, 1976, the City of Columbus
passed an ordinance accepting petitioner's donation of a single
family stucco house containing about 2,300 square feet plus an
attached garage, located at 3404 Riverside Drive, and dedicating
it to public use for recreation and park purposes.
The depreciation schedule attached to petitioner's 1975
income tax return shows that petitioner acquired the house
(identified as adjoining building) and land in October 1975 at a
total cost of $57,334.41. The cost for depreciation purposes was
allocated as $27,333.41 to the house and $30,000 to the land.
This allocation was not challenged by respondent. When the house
was donated to the City of Columbus 14 months later it had a fair
market value of at least $27,333.41. The house was rented
sometime during the period before it was donated to the City of
Columbus. Therefore, petitioner is entitled to a charitable
contribution deduction of $40,333.41 ($27,333.41 plus $13,000) in
1976. No greater deduction is allowed because petitioner did not
prove a fair market value for the house in excess of $27,333.41.
In the notice of deficiency for 1976 respondent determined
that no charitable contribution deduction was allowable because
the property was purchased with the intent to demolish the house.
- 146 -
C. Deduction for Charitable Contribution Claimed for
Property Transferred to Kenyon College
On the 1979 income tax return petitioner claimed a
charitable contribution deduction in the amount of $657,000
arising out of real estate donated to Kenyon College. This
deduction was reduced to zero in the notice of deficiency by
ordinary income realized.
The claimed charitable contribution consisted of property
owned by the McZand Corporation, a subchapter S corporation, and
listed on its tax return as being acquired for the following
amounts and on dates of purchase indicated:
Land Date Amount
Stoneridge Land 09/77 $511,000
Westgrove Land 05/78 438,000
Pickerington Land 05/78 411,000
The $657,000 amount of the charitable contribution claimed
by petitioner was calculated by determining that the fair market
value of the Stoneridge, Westgrove, and Pickerington tracts was
$1,360,000 (the sum of the properties' costs) less mortgages of
$703,000 for a net value after debt of $657,000.
The McZand Corporation was involved in real estate
development. Initially, petitioner and his children owned 50
percent of McZand Corporation's stock, and David William McCabe,
in his individual capacity or as custodian for his children,
owned the remaining 50 percent. Subsequently, on October 22,
- 147 -
1979, petitioner acquired all 360 outstanding shares of McZand
Corporation stock. The only amount that the McZand Corporation
characterized as shareholder contribution to capital was $500.
However, as of December 31, 1977, the McZand Corporation
financial records show $324,145.50 of claimed debt due each to
Bill McCabe and the same amount of claimed debt due
(collectively) to petitioner and his children. At the time of
these advances by McCabe and petitioner in September 1977,
additional capital contributions, also in the form of advances,
were contemplated. As of July 1978 the claimed debt amount from
McZand Corporation to McCabe was $532,545.50, with the same
amount shown as a claimed debt to petitioner and his children.
As of December 1979 the claimed debt due from McZand
Corporation to petitioner and his children was $772,827.69, the
same amount claimed due to McCabe. The claimed McZand
Corporation debt to McCabe and to petitioner and his children was
subordinated to bank and development loans. At all times prior
to October 1979 the claimed McZand Corporation debt to
petitioner's family and McCabe was in the same proportion as
McCabe's and petitioner's family's stock holdings. None of the
notes evidencing these debts was secured, nor was there
collateral for them. Although McZand did not pay interest on the
claimed debt, the claimed interest rate was 6 percent. As of
February 1978 the McZand corporate debt to CNB was 8.75 percent.
- 148 -
McZand Corporation's 1977 financial statement shows that
while the corporation's equity was less than $30,000, its debt
exceeded $725,000. The corporation's December 1978 financial
statement shows that while McZand Corporation's equity was less
than $85,000, its debt exceeded $3 million.
On December 26, 1979, McZand Corporation executed deeds
transferring the Stoneridge, Westgrove, and Pickerington tracts
from McZand's name to petitioner. On the same date petitioner
signed deeds transferring the property to Kenyon College. There
are no documents of record to indicate that petitioner assumed
the mortgage indebtedness on the real estate transferred from
McZand Corporation to petitioner and from petitioner to Kenyon
College.
In computing its taxable income for 1979, McZand Corporation
failed to take into account any realized gain upon the
disposition of one of the three parcels of property transferred
from McZand to petitioner.
According to the McZand Corporation's trial balance
workpapers, the transfer of the properties to petitioner was in
full payment of the note due him. However, at the same time,
petitioner allegedly purchased McZand Corporation's note to
McCabe at less than fair market value.
In March 1980 petitioner transferred his 100-percent
ownership in McZand Corporation to Caspian Florida, a subsidiary
- 149 -
of CDC. As of March 31, 1980, the McZand note payable to McCabe
in the amount of $772,827.69 had been assigned to petitioner.
Furthermore, as of the March 31, 1980, trial balance the value of
McZand's common stock, all of which was owned by petitioner,
constituted the sole contribution of $500 to McZand's capital.
The claimed debt from McZand Corporation to petitioner and
his children was a capital contribution rather than a loan.
The Stoneridge, Westgrove, and Pickerington properties were
distributed to petitioner for no consideration. As of December
1979 petitioner's disposition of the Stoneridge, Westgrove, and
Pickerington properties would have produced $657,000 of short-
term gain.
Petitioner's claimed deduction for the transfer of property
to Kenyon College is reduced by $657,000; i.e., the amount of
ordinary income or short-term capital gain that would have been
recognized had petitioner sold the property.
X. Claimed Losses From Trusts, Partnerships,
Subchapter S Corporation, and Farming Operations
On his 1976 tax return petitioner claimed a loss of $1,518
for the Yanson Trust which respondent disallowed. There is no
evidence in the record showing that any loss was incurred in 1976
or the amount thereof. Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to
a 1976 loss of $1,518 from the Yanson Trust.
- 150 -
On the amended tax return for 1979 petitioner claimed a loss
of $23,709. There is no evidence establishing the entity for
which the loss was claimed or any substantiation for it.
Therefore, it is disallowed.
Both the Bowling Green and Franklin Green partnerships were
on the cash method of accounting for tax purposes.
Petitioner claimed Bowling Green partnership losses of
$12,768 in 1979 and $19,073 in 1980. There are no canceled
checks, invoices, or any primary records in evidence for the
Bowling Green partnership for those years. Hence, it cannot be
determined that expenditures were made, producing the claimed
losses. Moreover, the Caspian Farm Systems' corporate journal
shows that Caspian Farm Systems disbursed or paid expenses of
Bowling Green.
Additionally, based on the Schedule K-1 of Bowling Green's
1979 return, all reported debt of $48,749 (excluding accounts
payable) was nonrecourse.
Consequently, there is no evidence of record to establish
either petitioner's basis in the Bowling Green partnership for
the years 1979 or 1980, or that he was economically at risk for
any amount contributed to the partnership. Therefore, petitioner
is not entitled to the Bowling Green partnership losses claimed
for 1979 and 1980.
- 151 -
Petitioner also claimed losses of $3,596 for 1979 and $4,140
for 1980 from the Franklin Green partnership. However, there are
no invoices, canceled checks, or other primary records of the
Franklin Green partnership in evidence for 1979 and 1980. Hence,
it cannot be established that Franklin Green partnership paid
expenses that were ordinary and necessary expenses resulting in
distributive partnership losses. Therefore, petitioner is not
entitled to the claimed losses from Franklin Green partnership in
computing 1979 and 1980 taxable income.
Similarly, petitioner claimed losses from the McZand
Corporation, a subchapter S corporation, of $11,997 for 1979 and
$39,147 for 1980. He became the sole shareholder of McZand
Corporation in 1979. No canceled checks, invoices, or other
primary records of McZand Corporation for 1979 and 1980 are of
record for these claimed losses. The McZand Corporation's return
for 1979 reported an $85,317 gain from the sale of Westgrove real
estate to petitioner as sole shareholder. However, McZand
Corporation did not include that amount in calculating its
income.
In March 1980 petitioner transferred 100 percent of his
ownership in McZand Corporation to Caspian Florida, a subsidiary
of CDC.
Petitioner is not entitled to McZand Corporation losses of
$11,997 and $39,147 in computing 1979 and 1980 income.
- 152 -
Likewise, no primary records of Southern Florida Real Estate
Sales Corporation, such as invoices and canceled checks, are in
evidence for the 1979 activity of Southern Florida Real Estate
Sales Corporation or for the loss petitioner claimed from that
entity. Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to a $3,228 loss
from Southern Florida Real Estate Sales in computing 1979 taxable
income.
The only evidence of record for the claimed 1979 Admiralty
Point Trust loss of $2,933 is a $3,000 check payable to Oscar
Yanson with the notation "Admiralty Point venture". There is no
evidence of when any loss was incurred on this real estate
venture. Therefore, petitioner failed to establish that he
incurred a loss of $2,933 from the Admiralty Point Trust in
computing 1979 taxable income.
On the 1979 tax return petitioner claimed a section 1244
loss of $20,895 from Danny's Hideaway. Respondent agrees that
the evidence shows that petitioner incurred a loss when he sold
his stock in Danny's Hideaway during 1979, but there is no
evidence that the ordinary loss provisions of section 1244 are
applicable. There is no evidence that petitioner incurred a
claimed loss from Danny's Hideaway in the year 1980 in the amount
of $5,771. Therefore, that claimed loss is disallowed.
On the 1979 tax return petitioner claimed a farm loss of
$128,458 attributable to a farm called Madison County Farm. On
- 153 -
the 1980 tax return he claimed deductions for Schedule F farm
expenses of $249,204 for the same farm, all of which were
disallowed by respondent.
The journals and chart of accounts of Caspian Farm Systems
are the only records in evidence for the 1979 disallowed net farm
loss and the 1980 disallowed expenses adjusting the 1980 reported
farm loss to positive farm income. In 1979 and 1980 Caspian Farm
Systems was a corporation and filed consolidated tax returns with
CDC. There are no invoices, canceled checks, or other records in
evidence of payment for the amounts claimed on petitioner's
Schedule F as losses and deductions for 1979 and 1980. There is
also no evidence of record that any portion of the disallowed
expenses paid by petitioner in 1979 and 1980 for the Madison
County Farm were ordinary and necessary expenses currently
deductible. Petitioner presented no evidence that he, as a cash
basis taxpayer, paid any amount during the years 1979 and 1980
for the claimed Madison County deductions. Therefore, in
computing 1979 taxable income, petitioner is not entitled to a
farm loss of $128,458 and, in computing 1980 taxable income, he
is not entitled to deduct unsubstantiated farm expenses of
$249,204.
- 154 -
ULTIMATE FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Petitioner substantially understated his taxable income
for the years 1972 through 1977.
2. Petitioner substantially overstated his business
expenses, losses, and deductions for the years 1973 through 1981.
3. The underpayments of income taxes which were required to
be included in petitioner's Federal income tax returns for the
years 1972 through 1976 were due to fraud with intent to evade
tax.
4. The assessment and collection of petitioner's Federal
income taxes for 1972 are not barred by the statute of
limitations.
5. Petitioner's omission of substantial amounts of income
and overstatement of expenses and deductions for 1977 were due to
negligence or intentional disregard of rules and regulations.
6. Petitioner's overstatements of business expenses,
deductions, and losses for the years 1978 through 1981 were due
to negligence or intentional disregard of rules and regulations.
OPINION
It is no doubt apparent that these cases involve some
measure of factual and legal complexity. That complexity is
reflected in the magnitude of the record and is exacerbated by
the contentions and arguments of the parties. Not surprisingly,
- 155 -
our task of finding the facts has been laborious and sometimes
frustrating. We have plodded through 1,917 pages of testimony
from 32 witnesses. The stipulations of fact contain 1,191
paragraphs, and there are over 1,800 exhibits of documentary
evidence in the record. There are some factual inconsistencies
and contradictions which the parties have exploited to their
advantage in 933 pages of briefs. Nevertheless, we have done the
best we can to reconcile conflicting portions of the record,
although we acknowledge that perfect harmony has not been
attainable.
Before considering the substantive issues involved in these
cases, we will address some preliminary issues relating to
procedural and evidentiary matters.
I. Preliminary Issues
A. Burden of Proof
As a general rule, the Commissioner's determinations are
presumed correct, and the taxpayer bears the burden of proving
that those determinations are erroneous. Rule 142(a); United
States v. Janis, 428 U.S. 433, 440-441 (1976); Welch v.
Helvering, 290 U.S. 111, 115 (1933). In addition, deductions are
a matter of legislative grace, and the taxpayer bears the burden
of proving that he is entitled to any deduction claimed. Rule
142(a); New Colonial Ice Co. v. Helvering, 292 U.S. 435, 440
(1934). This includes the burden of substantiation. Hradesky v.
- 156 -
Commissioner, 65 T.C. 87 (1975), affd. per curiam 540 F.2d 821
(5th Cir. 1976). By contrast, the Commissioner has the burden of
proof with respect to the issue of fraud with intent to evade
tax, and that burden of proof must be carried by clear and
convincing evidence. Sec. 7454(a); Rule 142(b). The
Commissioner also has the burden of proof as to the assertion of
an additional deficiency. Rule 142(a).
Petitioners contend that they have presented sufficient
evidence to establish that respondent's determinations were
erroneous, and, therefore, the burden shifted to respondent to go
forward with the evidence. We disagree. Petitioners have failed
to show on this record that respondent's deficiency
determinations were arbitrary and excessive or, for that matter,
erroneous. Respondent's determinations were made after extensive
and comprehensive audits and after investigation by special
agents of the Internal Revenue Service for possible criminal
income tax evasion. Judged by any standard, respondent's
determinations were reasonable. Consequently, the burden of
going forward with the evidence did not shift to respondent. The
burden of proof with respect to the deficiencies remained with
petitioners. See Marcello v. Commissioner, 380 F.2d 499, 507
(5th Cir. 1967).
- 157 -
B. Evidentiary Matters
In some respects the parties have indicated disagreement
with, or taken exception to, certain evidentiary rulings made by
Judge Whitaker. While there may be some support for the views
expressed by counsel for the parties, the Court is not inclined
to modify or reverse rulings made by him with regard to
evidentiary matters.
C. New Issues Raised by Petitioner on Brief
For the first time in his brief, petitioner raised three new
issues: (1) A $10,000 charitable contribution to the Teheran
National University in 1974; (2) losses totaling $5,369 in 1975
from IDS/McCullough Oil Programs; and (3) deductions claimed for
business use of automobiles which he has asserted should be
allowed as fringe benefits to employees. These issues were not
raised in any pretrial or posttrial pleadings.
Petitioner did not present canceled checks, receipts, or
other primary records to show a payment of $10,000 to Teheran
National University in 1974. He also offered no evidence that
the Teheran National University was created or organized in the
United States or a possession thereof, or under the laws of the
United States, any State, the District of Columbia, or any
possession of the United States. Moreover, Mr. Giffin,
- 158 -
petitioner's accountant, did not characterize the alleged $10,000
payment to Teheran National University as a charitable
contribution, as stated in petitioner's brief, but characterized
it as a business expense. There is no evidence to show the
alleged payment of $10,000 to Teheran National University in 1974
was an ordinary and necessary business expense. Accordingly,
petitioner is not entitled to deduct $10,000 as a charitable
contribution or as a business expense for a payment to Teheran
National University.
With respect to the losses claimed in 1975 for the
IDS/McCullough Oil Programs, there are no canceled checks,
invoices, or any primary records in evidence from which it can be
determined that any losses were incurred. There is no evidence
of record establishing petitioner's basis. Consequently, he is
not entitled to the claimed losses.
It is not surprising that petitioner has changed his
position in his brief with respect to the claimed automobile
expenses because the evidence presented shows that records were
not maintained to distinguish between personal and business use
of the automobiles, and that a significant portion of the
automobile use was for the business activities of CDC and other
entities, rather than those of petitioner or CTC. Thus, he
- 159 -
failed to show that the automobile-related expenses and
depreciation claimed are deductible. Furthermore, on his income
tax returns, petitioner claimed deductions for automobile
expenses and automobile depreciation, not fringe benefits taxable
as compensation to his employees. His position did not change
through trial. But, on brief, petitioner cites cases and
sections of the Internal Revenue Code that hold that an
employee's use of an employer-provided automobile is compensation
to the employee, and that the employer is entitled to a deduction
for providing automobiles to his employees. However, petitioner
presented no evidence that the use of the automobiles by the
employees was intended as compensation. There is no evidence
that the employees' Forms W-2 included an amount for automobile
usage, or that the employees were issued any other income
documents to reflect compensation received as a result of the use
of the automobiles. None of the employees who testified about
their use of the automobiles provided by petitioner claimed that
any usage of the automobile was to be treated as compensation.
We view petitioner's belated argument that the automobile
expenses are taxable as fringe benefits to employees as having
been made because of his inability to show that the automobiles
were used in his trade or business. In short, this fringe
- 160 -
benefit argument is not supported by any evidence that the
automobiles were intended to be treated as compensation.
Therefore, petitioner is not entitled to deduct the claimed
automobile expenses as fringe benefit payments to his employees.
II. Issues 1,2,3, and 6--Commission and Miscellaneous Income
Turning now to the substantive issues, we first address the
issue of commission income. Under the "assignment of income"
doctrine, it is a fundamental principle of income tax law that
income must be taxed to the person who earned it. United States
v. Basye, 410 U.S. 441, 449-451 (1973). Under this principle, we
must decide on this record who "earned" the commission income
received from the various companies involved with petitioner
during the years in question. In deciding this issue, we attempt
to put some substance into the concept of earning income. On one
hand, we recognize that because "the true earner cannot always be
identified simply by pointing 'to the one actually turning the
spade or dribbling the ball,' this Court has applied a more
refined test--that of who controls the earning of the income."
Fritschle v. Commissioner, 79 T.C. 152, 155 (1982).
But, on the other hand, "the existence of a corporation
formed for a valid business purpose should not be nullified
merely because the shareholders are actively interested in
- 161 -
assuring the success of the corporation." Ross Glove Co. v.
Commissioner, 60 T.C. 569, 591 (1973). As these statements
demonstrate, particularly in cases involving closely held
corporations, such as is present here, or one-man personal
service corporations, there is a tension between the doctrine
prohibiting the assignment of income and the recognition of a
corporate business form as a separate legal entity from its
owners. Moline Properties, Inc. v. Commissioner, 319 U.S. 436,
438-439 (1943). Here too, in resolving the issue of whether the
individual or his wholly owned corporation is taxable on income
earned through the performance of personal services, the primary
focus is upon whether the individual or the corporation controls
the earning of the income. Bagley v. Commissioner, 85 T.C. 663,
675 (1985), affd. 806 F.2d 169 (8th Cir. 1986); Johnson v.
Commissioner, 78 T.C. 882, 890-891 (1982), affd. without
published opinion 734 F.2d 20 (9th Cir. 1984); Leavell v.
Commissioner, 104 T.C. 140 (1995). A two-prong test has been set
forth by this Court in order for the wholly owned or closely held
corporation, rather than the service-performer employee, to be
considered responsible for the income. First, the service-
performer employee must be an employee of the corporation whom
the corporation has the right to direct or control in some
meaningful sense; and, second, there must exist between the
- 162 -
corporation and the person or entity using the services a
contract or similar indicium recognizing the corporation's
controlling position. Johnson v. Commissioner, supra at 891.
The essential factor in all of the tests used is control over the
earning of the income in question.25
Before applying these principles to the facts before us, we
will first discuss some of petitioner's contentions. First, he
has spent a significant portion of his brief trying to establish
that Diesel Power did in fact exist, that it had employees and
offices, and that it actually conducted business. He cites at
least one case in his legal argument that deals with "sham"
corporations. Hospital Corp. of America v. Commissioner, 81 T.C.
520 (1983). Respondent has not contended that Diesel Power was a
"sham" or shell corporation, and we, therefore, do not consider
25
We note that this line of cases was expressly created in a situation
where a service-performer employee is supplying most or all of the services
that produce the income in question. The situation before us at first blush
appears to be somewhat different in that many individuals working at Diesel
Power and CTC provided services to carry out the functions of the various
relationships at issue, whether the relationships constituted consultancies,
promotional or representative arrangements, or distributor agreements.
However, at least until the end of 1974, and, in many cases, significantly
after that date, all of these individuals were acting under petitioner's
direction and control, and we conclude therefrom that the services were
performed on his behalf. This would be no different than, for example, the
situation where a physician who forms a personal service corporation employs
assistants, secretaries, and nurses to help earn the income received in
providing medical care. Therefore, the principles expressed in Johnson v.
Commissioner, 78 T.C. 882 (1982), affd. without published opinion 734 F.2d 20
(9th Cir. 1984), and other cases following it are appropriately applied here.
The issue is who controlled the earning of the income, not whose personal
efforts produced it. See Fritschle v. Commissioner, 79 T.C. 152, 155-156
(1982); American Savings Bank v. Commissioner, 56 T.C. 828, 839-842 (1971).
- 163 -
this aspect of petitioner's contentions because it is not at
issue.
Second, petitioner contends that there was an "agreement"
between himself or CTC and Diesel Power to split commissions in
various percentages. This is the primary theory by means of
which petitioner attempts to justify attributing much of the
income in question on the CTC receipts journal to Diesel Power.
We note that there were a significant number of transfers of
commissions between Diesel Power and CTC during the years at
issue, which tends to support petitioner's argument that there
was some kind of unwritten understanding between Diesel Power and
CTC concerning the splitting of commissions. However, this
"agreement", even if it did exist, is irrelevant to the issue
before us. A voluntary agreement to relinquish the right to
receive income is insufficient. In Lucas v. Earl, 281 U.S. 111
(1930), the taxpayer entered into a contract with his wife
whereby she was entitled to one-half of his income. The Supreme
Court held that under assignment of income principles the entire
amount was taxable to the taxpayer because he could not assign
away income that he earned. Id. at 115. Hence, if petitioner
earned the commissions involved herein, he could not assign them
to Diesel Power. Accordingly, the commission split understanding
was irrelevant. We also note in connection with this alleged
splitting of commissions that there were numerous payments
- 164 -
directly to Diesel Power that were not reported as income by
petitioner and which respondent did not allocate to petitioner as
income in the deficiency notices. In other words, respondent
appears to concede that Diesel Power did actually earn a
considerable amount of commissions in its own right. The areas
of contention mostly involve commissions that were paid to CTC, a
portion of which were then attributed to Diesel Power on the CTC
receipts journal, as well as certain commissions that were issued
in the name of Diesel Power that were allegedly earned by CTC or
petitioner, but were not reflected on the CTC receipts journal.
Third, petitioner contends that he relinquished his
controlling interest in Diesel Power in 1971 or 1974. He
testified that in 1971 he and Mr. Khalatbari had a dispute
because Mr. Khalatbari wanted to be a Diesel Power shareholder
and that, as a result of this dispute, Mr. Khalatbari left Diesel
Power for a few days. Petitioner then indicated that, when Mr.
Khalatbari returned, petitioner agreed to transfer 60 percent of
his interest in Diesel Power to Mr. and Mrs. Khalatbari. This
agreement was allegedly not "formalized" until 1974. The record
shows that petitioner received 11,750,000 rials for the transfer
of his 60-percent interest. When petitioner transferred the
remainder of his stock to the Khalatbaris in 1977, there is no
disagreement that there was a payment of money. We conclude that
there was in fact a reduction of petitioner's ownership in Diesel
- 165 -
Power, but that this reduction did not occur until the end of
1974 rather than 1971. Other than his testimony, petitioner did
not present any evidence to support a transfer of stock control
prior to 1974. Given the behavior of petitioner and the
employees involved, as well as the apparent attitudes of those
who dealt with them in business transactions between 1971 and
1974, we question whether petitioner gave up full ownership of
Diesel Power without documentary support before November 1974,
when petitioner sold 60 percent of his interest in Diesel Power
to the Khalatbaris. While this was a "family" business where a
certain amount of informality is to be expected, we think a
transaction of such magnitude, if it had occurred in 1971, would
have been accompanied by some written evidence. Petitioner has
presented none. Therefore, we conclude that petitioner continued
to own 100 percent of Diesel Power until at least November 1974.26
However, it is still possible that petitioner was
sufficiently subject to the direction and control of Diesel Power
in a meaningful sense even prior to the end of 1974, so that it
would be correct to allow its income to be taxed separately from
petitioner within the meaning of Johnson v. Commissioner, 78 T.C.
at 891. Similarly, it also is possible that petitioner retained
26
Similarly, petitioner's statements at trial that Diesel Power
"instructed" CTC to "pursue receipt of commissions and to transfer them to
Diesel Power" is not supported by any contemporaneous documentary evidence.
Documents reviewed by the Court indicate instead that it was at petitioner's
instructions that such pursuit of commissions was accomplished.
- 166 -
sufficient control over Diesel Power even after he sold his
remaining 40-percent interest in 1977 to be taxed on its income.
Petitioner's relationships with Diesel Power vis-a-vis each
business arrangement differed substantially, and we have
concluded that ownership of Diesel Power was by no means the only
test by which to ascertain control over its earnings. Therefore,
we will examine the facts related to each company with which
petitioner dealt to determine the extent to which petitioner or
Diesel Power was in a meaningful sense independently in control
of the earning of the income in question.
A. Lockheed
The income with respect to payments from Lockheed involves
payments Lockheed made to WHIP, Diesel Power, and Sunvaco during
the years 1972 through 1976.
Petitioner contends that WHIP was intended to be a
completely separate entity that was created at the direction of
Dr. Fallah. Petitioner further contends that he had been
instructed to deposit 80 percent of WHIP's earnings to a Swiss
bank account for Dr. Fallah; the remaining 20 percent was to be
deposited to an account for the benefit of Diesel Power.
Petitioner indicated that neither he nor Diesel Power received
any of the WHIP funds. He also stated that the $610,000 he
withdrew from the WHIP account in 1978 was the Diesel Power share
remaining from the WHIP arrangement.
- 167 -
However, petitioner's stated belief about these funds has
little to do with the issue of who earned the income. We are
unwilling to base a finding solely upon petitioner's testimony
that there was a WHIP Swiss bank account for the benefit of an
Iranian Government official to which most of the Lockheed
commissions were sent (an arrangement which, we note, may have
been illegal) and that these commissions were directed to such an
account merely because petitioner was following that official's
instructions. Aside from the $610,000 withdrawal in 1978,
petitioner has failed to convince us that he did not actually
receive any of the WHIP funds.
Moreover, regardless of where the WHIP funds actually went,
they were earned primarily through the efforts of petitioner via
his contacts with the Iranian Government. First, WHIP was
entirely subject to petitioner's control: The formation of this
entity was his idea (or so he informed the then Prime Minister of
Iran); he set up the entity; and he managed the entity in that
Price Waterhouse was subject to his control in connection with
the management of WHIP. There is no evidence that Diesel Power
earned these funds. Second, petitioner handled the WHIP accounts
as if they were his own, moving funds around from location to
location at will, and finally withdrawing the remaining $610,000
for himself in 1978 in an attempt to obtain disputed funds from
Diesel Power. This is hardly the behavior that petitioner would
- 168 -
exhibit if the funds in the WHIP Barclays Bahamas bank account
were subject to the control of Dr. Fallah, Diesel Power, or the
WHIP entity itself. Accordingly, the WHIP funds should have been
reported as income by petitioner.
A significant amount of the Lockheed fees was paid to Diesel
Power on petitioner's instructions and were, therefore, not
included in the CTC receipts journal. Some of these payments
were commissions from the P-3 aircraft sale, and some were not.
To the extent that the payments were based upon the P-3 aircraft
sale, we discuss them in the following paragraph. To the extent
that the payments were not based on the P-3 aircraft, there is
little evidence in the record showing Diesel Power's involvement
in earning the commissions. Petitioner did virtually all of the
planning and implementing of the C-130 Lockheed sales. He signed
the consulting agreements and he modified them to adjust
commissions. There is very little evidence that Diesel Power had
anything to do with these transactions other than to be the named
recipient of some of the checks. Accordingly, we hold that the
entire amount of the Lockheed payments to Diesel Power that
involved anything except the P-3 aircraft sales should have been
reported by petitioner as income.
Both Sunvaco and Diesel Power received commissions from
Lockheed for the sale of P-3 aircraft. The only fee that appears
to be at issue with regard to Sunvaco is the termination fee paid
- 169 -
in 1976. We think some of the funds paid to Sunvaco as well as
payments to Diesel Power that involved the P-3 aircraft sales
were not entirely petitioner's income. Petitioner contends that
he did not have sufficient experience to market the P-3 airplanes
alone and, in support thereof, directs our attention to a
Lockheed letter stating that it was not Lockheed's intention to
hire only petitioner to market the P-3 aircraft. That letter was
written in response to petitioner's request. Although it was
written in preparation for tax litigation, the letter does
confirm that Lockheed hired not merely petitioner to do this
consulting work to market the P-3 aircraft, but also Mr. Zanganeh
and Mr. Khalatbari as well. This indicates that these two
gentlemen actually performed some of the work for the P-3
aircraft sales independently and at their own expense. We do not
agree with respondent that Mr. Zanganeh and Mr. Khalatbari were
merely petitioner's employees who were compensated for their
services. Hence, Mr. Zanganeh and Mr. Khalatbari earned a
portion of the income. In the absence of any evidence as to what
percentage of the work each man performed, we assume that they
worked equally. Thus, we hold that the portion of the
termination payment to Sunvaco attributable to the sale of the P-
3 aircraft ($100,000) was not income solely to petitioner; he
realized income of only one-third of that amount. With regard to
the payments to Diesel Power involving the P-3 aircraft, we also
- 170 -
hold that petitioner realized only one-third of the income. The
balance of the Sunvaco termination payment ($381,600) and the
balance of the Diesel Power payments that were not attributable
to the P-3 aircraft should have been entirely reported as
petitioner's income because he was the sole earner.
B. Ashland
Respondent asserts that during the 1973 taxable year Ashland
issued checks payable to petitioner in the amounts of $400,
$5,000, $12,500 and $3,000. However, the exhibit upon which
these allegations are based was admitted into evidence by the
Court's Order of October 9, 1992, only as a summary; hence, we
are not willing to use it as substantive evidence that such
payments were made without any proof that the contents of this
exhibit are correct. However, we note that the $5,000 payment
referred to in the summary was independently confirmed to be a
reimbursement in a letter accompanying the check from Ashland.
Therefore, that amount was not required to be included in
petitioner's income.
With regard to the 1973 payments from Ashland to Interrep,
one of the two documents drawing any link between petitioner and
Interrep was this same summary noted above. For the same reason,
we are unwilling to use it as substantive evidence. The only
other link between petitioner and Interrep is a letter from
Ashland addressed to All Patents and affirmed by petitioner,
- 171 -
seeking verification that certain payments had been made and had
not been improperly used. One of the payments listed in this
letter was a "Payment to account of Interrep, S.A. for the group
represented by Mr. James Zand". Petitioner testified that he
signed the letter at the airport when he was in a hurry, read the
affirmation at the end of the letter, and did not read the rest
of the letter. He also indicated that he did not recall
receiving any money from Interrep; there is no evidence to the
contrary. We conclude that the record does not contain adequate
evidence that petitioner was sufficiently related to Interrep
that he should be taxed on its income.
With regard to the Ashland's commission payments to All
Patents in 1974 and 1975, we conclude that, although the Ashland
consultancy agreement was in All Patents' name, not petitioner's,
it was for the "personal services" of petitioner. Ashland
representatives testified at trial that they were under the
impression they had hired petitioner to act as an intermediary
between Ashland and NIOC. Furthermore, Ashland understood that
petitioner owned All Patents, at least in part, although there is
no concrete evidence to that effect in the record. While
petitioner testified that he understood Ashland's payments to All
Patents were for the benefit of NIOC, there is no indication that
Ashland intended to receive services from Dr. Fallah or any other
NIOC representative under the consultancy agreement.
- 172 -
In addition, petitioner held himself out to the U.S. Senate
Foreign Relations Committee as Ashland's representative through
"his companies". While petitioner might have had a certain
incentive to increase his own business stature by holding himself
out as the owner of those companies, we think that his
representation was not based on a factual foundation. At the
trial, in response to a question about who received the funds
from the All Patents account petitioner testified, "I have
absolutely no knowledge and I didn't want to have any." By this
he appeared to be implying that there may have been something
improper or illegal about the arrangement between NIOC and
Ashland via All Patents. But there is evidence that petitioner
was Ashland's actual representative and performed the services
for which payments were made. Accordingly, we hold that
petitioner earned the funds received pursuant to the Ashland
consulting agreement.
Lastly, we note that Ashland's 1975 payments in All Patents'
name were deposited to the Diesel Power Banque de Paris account,
of which petitioner was an authorized signatory, rather than to
an All Patents account. However, there is no evidence that
Diesel Power was involved in the Ashland negotiations. We find
no significance in the fact that petitioner relinquished part of
his interest in Diesel Power in late 1974. If, as petitioner
contends, the Ashland payments to All Patents did not belong to
- 173 -
him, he would have been misappropriating NIOC funds by depositing
them into a Diesel Power account. Therefore, we conclude that
petitioner was simply using the Diesel Power Account to receive
the 1975 Ashland funds he had earned.
We conclude that petitioner earned Ashland's 1974 and 1975
payments to All Patents and, therefore, such payments constitute
his income.
With regard to Ashland's 1976 payment in the amount of
$265,000 attributed to Diesel Power on the CTC receipts journal,
the evidence as previously discussed shows very little
involvement in Ashland matters by Diesel Power. Petitioner
testified that the 1976 payment was for his services in obtaining
the release from All Patents. While both an Ashland witness and
petitioner stated that Ashland also met with Mr. Khalatbari and
I.J. Zand on several occasions, there is no indication that
either Mr. Khalatbari or I.J. Zand believed that Diesel Power was
Ashland's representative. To the contrary, Mr. Khalatbari and
I.J. Zand believed petitioner was Ashland's representative. The
documentary evidence also shows a significant amount of
correspondence between petitioner and Ashland representatives;
yet, there is no correspondence in the record between Ashland
representatives and either Mr. Khalatbari or any other Diesel
Power employee. Hence, in our judgment, petitioner was the
primary (if not the only) independent participant in the Ashland
- 174 -
negotiations and was the person who arranged and was involved in
many meetings between Ashland and NIOC. We also conclude that
petitioner's relinquishment of part of his Diesel Power stock in
late 1974 does not alter the fact that he earned the 1976 Ashland
commissions that were paid to Diesel Power's name. Accordingly,
the portion of Ashland's 1976 payment attributed to Diesel Power
on the CTC receipts journal was income to petitioner.
C. General Motors
We note a preliminary issue that affects 3 of the years at
issue. The parties have stipulated that GM deposited British
pounds equivalent to $18,146.15 into the Zand FNCB London account
during 1973. Although respondent asserts in a proposed finding
of fact that petitioner failed to include $18,337.08 from GM in
1973 income, respondent has not properly asserted this higher
figure in a timely fashion. This Court has jurisdiction to
determine additional amounts in excess of the amount determined
in the notice of deficiency only "if claim therefor is asserted
by the Secretary at or before the hearing". Sec. 6214(a).
Respondent neither asserted this increased amount in an amended
answer nor raised it at trial. Thus, we lack jurisdiction over
the amount in excess of the amount determined in the notice of
deficiency and will disregard such excess. Jasionowski v.
Commissioner, 66 T.C. 312, 317 (1976). In addition, the Court's
consideration of respondent's assertion of the increased amount
- 175 -
would result in unfair surprise to petitioner where it was raised
for the first time on brief. See Aero Rental v. Commissioner, 64
T.C. 331, 338 (1975). Since respondent has not asserted the
higher stipulated figure, we are limited to the $17,943.61
alleged in the amendment to answer. We are similarly limited
with respect to certain of respondent's assertions for 1974 and
1976. With regard to 1974, the notice of deficiency determined
that there was $414,855.46 in unreported "per books" income from
GM. Although the facts indicate that there were payments listed
on the CTC receipts journal attributed to Diesel Power in excess
of that amount, respondent did not assert a higher amount for
that portion of the deficiency. Respondent will be limited to
the asserted amount. For 1976, the total amount attributed to
Diesel Power on the 1976 CTC receipts journal was $1,142,908.40.
The notice of deficiency, however, determined "per books
unreported" income of $1,112,550.51. Respondent will be limited
to assertions for the latter amount.
Respondent contends that all GM payments to the Zand FNCB
London account and all GM payments attributed to Diesel Power on
the CTC receipts journal should have been included in
petitioner's income for 1973 through 1977. Petitioner, on the
other hand, claims that Diesel Power was GM's Iranian distributor
and that the payments to the Zand FNCB London account during 1973
through 1977 belonged only to Diesel Power. We disagree with
- 176 -
petitioner. The facts indicate otherwise. Not only did
petitioner overtly state to GM that Diesel Power was not GM's
authorized representative, but his behavior also indicated the
same. The record shows that petitioner was in control of
negotiations concerning the amount of commissions and that he
earned those commissions by performing the work for them. He or
one of his CTC employees also directed GM where to make
commission payments. Petitioner argues that, when the agreement
was first signed with GM, GM did not distinguish between CTC of
Iran and CTC of Ohio. After Diesel Power was established, he
argues, no one thought to change it, and in fact Diesel Power was
GM's representative for the sale of locomotives. He also
contends that the Zand FNCB London account was a Diesel Power
account used for the receipt of commissions in pounds sterling
from, among others, GM. This appears to be inconsistent with the
contemporaneous written material in evidence, to which we are
inclined to give greater weight. The Zand FNCB London account
was in petitioner's name, and instructions came from CTC to
deposit funds therein. We also point out that Diana Khalatbari
in a note to CTC called this account "JJ's London account", not
"Diesel Power's account". There also was ample evidence that
petitioner held himself out to GM as GM's representative,
referring to CTC and Diesel Power employees as his "associates".
We also emphasize that, by the specific terms of the agreement
- 177 -
between GM and CTC, petitioner's rights to commission fees were
nonassignable. Even though some of the payments were made to
Diesel Power, it is clear that GM viewed Diesel Power and
petitioner as one and the same. As with the commission payments
made directly to CTC, the record shows that petitioner did much
of the work involved in earning these commissions and, to the
extent that Diesel Power employees were also involved, the
earning of these commissions was subject to petitioner's control.
Although petitioner relinquished ownership of some of his Diesel
Power stock in late 1974, the evidence shows that his control
over the earning of commissions from GM did not change after that
date. Accordingly, we hold that the GM commissions were all
income to petitioner.
This is likewise true with regard to commissions from the
Pakistani sales. Respondent contends that the 1975 payments in
the amounts of $334,333.17 and $396,562.22 in connection with the
Pakistani sales are income to petitioner based upon the GM-
Caspian agreement. Amounts equivalent to the 1975 payments to
Mr. Khilnani of 70 percent of the Pakistani commissions were
included in income by petitioner in an amended return and thus
are not at issue. The remaining 30 percent was split between CTC
and Diesel Power on the CTC receipts journal. We agree with
respondent that the portion of Pakistani commissions allocated to
Diesel Power on the CTC receipts journal was petitioner's income.
- 178 -
Diesel Power appears to have had little or no involvement in the
Pakistani sale and, therefore, did not earn the commissions in
relation to it. Petitioner, on the other hand, earned all of the
GM commissions attributed to Diesel Power on the CTC receipts
journal. Petitioner appears to have negotiated the Pakistani
locomotive sale and he was in control of the arrangement. A
letter from petitioner to Mr. Khilnani indicates that petitioner
was willing to pay for Mr. Khilnani's travel expenses, which he
apparently was not required to do. Diesel Power does not appear
to have had any involvement in these arrangements. There is also
testimony that Diesel Power never sold anything that was not
shipped to Iran. There is persuasive evidence that petitioner
was responsible for and controlled the Pakistani arrangement.
Therefore, we conclude that petitioner earned the commissions
paid in connection therewith.
For the same reason, we conclude that respondent's
allocation in the notice of deficiency for 1976 of "other" income
in the amount of $34,377.70, which is equivalent to payments to
Mr. Khilnani, also was correct. However, the payments made to
Mr. Khilnani and the Amelia Corporation, to the extent proven,
would also constitute deductible commission expenses. All
payments to Amelia Corporation but one were sufficiently proven
and constitute deductible expenses. With respect to this one
payment, petitioner stated that $50,000 was paid in 1976 to
- 179 -
Amelia Corporation. The record contains a 1976 memo to the file
in which it is stated that there was a $50,000 payment to Amelia
Corporation, which petitioner stated was for "expenses".
However, the record does not reveal when this payment was made,
if at all, or for what. Therefore, the payment has not been
proven to be a deductible expense.
D. SEDCO, IMICO, IMISS
Although the joint venture and dealership agreements at
issue were between Diesel Power and Stewart & Stevenson, SEDCO,
and IMICO, the record shows that there was virtually no
involvement in these arrangements by Diesel Power; rather, they
were agreements with Diesel Power in name only. Petitioner and
his CTC employees made all the arrangements to create and
implement these ventures; Diesel Power was simply informed about
them after the fact. While petitioner's testimony attempts to
convince us that CTC merely assisted with some of the paperwork
involved, the contemporaneous documents indicate otherwise; i.e.,
they show that petitioner was actively involved in this venture
and that Diesel Power was not. Therefore, petitioner's income
includes all commissions received from SEDCO, SEDIRAN, IMICO, and
Stewart & Stevenson during 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976 which are
recorded on the CTC receipts journal as Diesel Power commissions.
With regard to the allegation in the 1973 notice of
deficiency of $1,000 in unreported income from Stewart &
- 180 -
Stevenson, there is no evidence of this payment on the CTC
receipts journal, and there is no other evidence presented by
either party. Petitioner merely states in a proposed finding of
fact pertaining to it that his accountant had reviewed all
commissions received by CTC and petitioner for the pertinent
years, and petitioner had reported all income. Respondent does
not address this amount on brief. We assume that respondent has
conceded this issue and hold for petitioner.
With regard to the alleged "unreported income" in the amount
of $1,478.31 from Stewart & Stevenson in 1976, neither party
presented any evidence. In a proposed finding of fact petitioner
implies that it was paid directly to Diesel Power. Whether it
was or not, we hold for respondent with respect to this amount.
If it was paid to Diesel Power, it was petitioner's income for
the reasons stated above; if it was not paid to Diesel Power,
petitioner has failed to meet his burden of proof that it was not
his income. Rule 142(a).
With regard to the allegation of income from IMICO, SEDIRAN,
and SEDCO in 1978, the parties presented no evidence other than
the 1978 receipts journal. We note that, while the 1978 CTC
receipts journal lists numerous receipts from IMICO, SEDIRAN, and
SEDCO in that year, the receipts are all recorded as either
"Purchases" or commissions to CTC, the latter having been
reported by petitioner as income. As to the amounts for 1978,
- 181 -
however, we can see no rationale under which they constitute
income, and we therefore hold for petitioner.
E. Ingersoll-Rand
Petitioner argues that he is not liable for any unreported
commission income from Ingersoll-Rand. At trial he and his
witnesses testified that neither he nor CTC sold any Ingersoll
Rand products during the period at issue, that Diesel Power was
the representative for Ingersoll Rand, and therefore, that none
of the commissions from that company was earned by him. Although
respondent originally took the position that commissions from
Ingersoll-Rand should have been included in petitioner's gross
income, respondent on brief has partially conceded this issue,
concluding that there was an agreement between Ingersoll-Rand and
Diesel Power whereby Diesel Power was Ingersoll-Rand's
representative in Iran. The record supports this position.
Respondent contends now that petitioner is required to include in
income all Ingersoll-Rand commissions that "he diverted from
Diesel Power to his dominion and control."
With regard to 1973 and 1974, respondent concedes the
amounts of $48,222.04 and $197,259.65, respectively. However, in
the ultimate proposed findings respondent asserts in a type of
"dominion and control" argument that petitioner has income for
these years to the extent of petitioner's withdrawals from the
Diesel Power Bank of America account. Respondent claims that the
- 182 -
withdrawals in the years 1973 through 1976 in excess of $3
million, which were not included in petitioner's income for those
years, constituted income in the years of the withdrawals. We
will discuss this issue later.
With regard to 1975, respondent on brief has conceded all
previous determinations in the notice of deficiency and
allegations in the amendment to answer and states that "It is now
respondent's position that, in 1975, Zand failed to include
$197,513.88 in income from Ingersoll-Rand that was deposited to
Zand's FNCB account." The only support that respondent cites for
this $197,513.88 deposit is a document that is stipulated to be a
"Schedule of Commissions by Manufacturer showing where deposited"
written by an unknown author. We are not willing to find that
this deposit was in fact made based solely upon this document.
We have serious hearsay concerns about a list of numbers that the
Court knows nothing else about, including the author of those
numbers, and no reason to believe that the document's contents
are accurate. Accordingly, we do not rely upon it for the truth
of its contents without any other evidence in support of this
deposit.27 There being no persuasive evidence of record that the
27
Nor does petitioner admit that this payment was made. Petitioner in
his proposed findings of fact merely states that "those payments did not
constitute income to Petitioner." We are unwilling to interpret this as an
admission that this payment was made.
- 183 -
deposit was made to petitioner's FNCB account, we hold for
petitioner with respect to this alleged 1975 payment.
With regard to the stipulated 1976 payment from Ingersoll-
Rand of £5,494.40 to the Zand FNCB London account, respondent
asserts that the average monthly exchange rate for British pounds
to dollars in March 1976 was £1.960 to $1. Respondent offers no
support for this exchange rate. Accordingly, respondent's
allegation that £5,494.40 was equivalent to $10,769.02 is
unsubstantiated. Our research indicates that the correct
exchange rate was £1.9454 to $1; accordingly, the £5,494.40
stipulated to have been deposited into the Zand FNCB account were
equivalent to $10,688.05. Petitioner contends that this
stipulated payment did not constitute income to him because it
belonged to Diesel Power. To the contrary, respondent contends
that these funds were transferred at the direction of
petitioner's employee and thus, were income to him. We conclude
that, although petitioner's employee may have directed the
payment of these commissions, the record indicates that most of
the effort involved in earning them was performed by Diesel
Power. Accordingly, we hold for petitioner with respect to the
$10,688.05.
Respondent also claims that there was an unreported $120,000
payment from IGOS to petitioner in 1976 for commissions from
Ingersoll-Rand. In support thereof, respondent cites only to a
- 184 -
1981 sworn affidavit of one of the IGOS shareholders, Hossein
Shirazi, indicating that there was such a payment in 1976. Mr.
Shirazi was not a witness in this proceeding and thus was not
subject to cross-examination for the statements made in his
affidavit. Therefore, despite Mr. Shirazi's sworn statement that
he believed the contents of his affidavit to be true, we are
unwilling to rely solely upon this document as evidence that the
$120,000 was actually paid. We hold for petitioner for this
amount.
F. Morgan
As a preliminary matter with regard to the stipulated 1976
receipts from Morgan of $525,786.48, petitioner correctly points
out that respondent determined $449,333.24 in "other income" in
the notice of deficiency but that respondent did not file an
amended answer proposing to increase petitioner's 1976 income
from the Morgan arrangement to a higher amount. See sec.
6214(a). Accordingly, we consider only the amount of $449,333.24
listed in the notice of deficiency as "other unreported" income.
With regard to the properly determined amount for 1976 and
the full amount determined for 1977, the evidence does establish
that Diesel Power employees and petitioner worked together to
earn the Morgan income. Diesel Power employees assisted in
earning the commissions by providing price quotes, negotiating
orders, and keeping track of certain payments. Petitioner also
- 185 -
was involved in earning this income, both personally and through
the actions of his CTC employees. At petitioner's instructions,
some of the Morgan payments were issued directly to Diesel Power
and some directly to CTC. Petitioner recorded the CTC payments
as CTC commissions on the receipts journal, and petitioner did
not report as income any of the checks issued to Diesel Power in
1976. This arrangement effectively resulted in the split of
commissions for 1976. The 1977 payments were split on the CTC
receipts journal. We conclude that the split of the commissions
such as was made here reflected the understanding of petitioner
and Diesel Power as to the work involved in earning the Morgan
commissions. By the time these payments were made, petitioner
had relinquished ownership of some of his Diesel Power stock.
The actual division of commissions for 1976 and 1977 appears to
have adequately reflected the evidence of division of effort on
the part of Diesel Power and petitioner or CTC to implement the
Morgan arrangement. Accordingly, we hold for petitioner on the
Morgan amounts.
G. Harnischfeger
There is no discussion in the parties' briefs concerning
respondent's determination in the 1974 notice of deficiency for
Harnischfeger. The amount of $525.41 is determined as income
from Harnischfeger. However, there is no evidence in the record
of income from that company, although it precisely matches an
- 186 -
amount that appears on the CTC receipts journal from Parker-
Hannifin. In the absence of any explanation for this by
respondent, we conclude that respondent has conceded this amount.
With respect to the years 1975 through 1977, we note that by
this time petitioner had relinquished a portion of his Diesel
Power stock. A contract existed directly between Diesel Power
and Harnischfeger, and the record shows that the Harnischfeger
commissions were earned by the efforts of Diesel Power and CTC.
While petitioner or a CTC employee personally signed the
distributor agreements, supervised the receipt of commissions
thereunder, and directed the accounts to which they were payable,
Diesel Power employees performed the work required in Iran to
obtain orders for Harnischfeger equipment. The division of
commissions on the CTC receipts journal between CTC and Diesel
Power appears to adequately reflect the efforts of both companies
and, therefore, will be respected. We hold for petitioner with
respect to the Harnischfeger amounts for these years.
H. Pioneer
Petitioner's only argument with respect to Pioneer in
general is that there was a commission-splitting agreement
between CTC and Diesel Power. Respondent contends that the
distributor agreement was between Pioneer and CTC and that
petitioner remained in control of the earning of commissions
pursuant to that agreement. We agree with respondent. While the
record shows that Pioneer issued a "To whom it may concern"
- 187 -
letter indicating that Diesel Power was its representative in
Iran, there is no indication that the earlier agreement with CTC
was terminated or that an agreement with Diesel Power was ever
executed. There is also evidence that this letter was issued at
the request of a CTC employee to facilitate obtaining business
with the Iranian Government and was not intended to replace the
Pioneer-CTC distributor agreement. Moreover, even if Diesel
Power were Pioneer's distributor, petitioner clearly maintained
control over the earning of Pioneer commissions. Petitioner and
CTC employees corresponded with Pioneer on matters of importance.
CTC gave Pioneer instructions on the payment of commissions.
Petitioner and CTC created and continued the impression that
Diesel Power and CTC were one and the same. Although petitioner
relinquished ownership of some of his Diesel Power stock in late
1974, he does not appear to have relinquished his control over
the earning of commissions. When Pioneer in 1974 expressed a
willingness (at Mrs. Meier's suggestion) to amend the distributor
agreement to Diesel Power's name, petitioner was asked whether
this should be done, indicating that he had the power to prevent
such a revision. Accordingly, we sustain respondent's
determinations for the years 1973 through 1977.
With regard to 1978, the parties have made no stipulations
and respondent has made no assertions apart from the notice of
deficiency in connection therewith. We assume this to be an
- 188 -
oversight. The CTC receipts journal recorded receipt from
Pioneer of $84,293.45. However, $33,717.38 of this amount was
allocated on the receipts journal as commissions for CTC. We see
no reason why respondent has asserted the full amount received as
unreported income in this instance when in all other cases
respondent has accepted the amounts listed on the CTC receipts
journal as CTC commissions. Petitioner did report as income
amounts listed as CTC commissions. Hence, those amounts did not
constitute unreported income. Respondent has not explained this
on brief. Therefore, we hold that the only amount at issue is
the $50,576.07 allocated to Diesel Power on the 1978 CTC receipts
journal. We hold for petitioner with respect to the $33,717.38
allocated as commissions to CTC, and which he reported as income.
We conclude that all of the remaining $50,576.07 allocated
as commissions to Diesel Power constitutes petitioner's
unreported income from Pioneer for 1978. Despite the fact that
petitioner had sold his interest in Diesel Power prior to that
year, the evidence shows that petitioner still was in control of
the earning of commissions from Pioneer at that time. This is
particularly evidenced by the correspondence between petitioner
and Pioneer concerning the cancellation of Pioneer's agreement in
1978. That correspondence reveals that Pioneer had no intention
to deal with Diesel Power apart from petitioner and that
petitioner was planning to devise another means by which to do
- 189 -
business with Pioneer, because the Diesel Power he had created
had "ceased to exist". We conclude therefrom that petitioner
earned the entire commission reflected on the CTC receipts
journal as having been paid by Pioneer during 1978.
I. Galion
We note initially that, in the notice of deficiency,
respondent determined unreported "Other" income from Galion in
1973 in the amount of $2,368.24. Petitioner in his brief
contends that this was a part of direct payments to Diesel Power
that are not taxable to him. Because respondent does not make
any reference to this amount on brief, we conclude that
respondent has conceded this determination, and we hold for
petitioner with respect to this amount.
All other determinations pertaining to Galion involve the
question of whether petitioner must include in income for the
years 1973 through 1978 payments from Galion that were made to
CTC at the instructions of petitioner or a CTC employee, some of
which were attributed to Diesel Power on the CTC receipts
journals. We conclude that he must. There were direct dealings
between Diesel Power and Galion prior to the years at issue, as
evidenced by the existence in 1969 of a sales relationship
between the two companies and a negotiated settlement concerning
overdue time drafts signed by Mr. Khalatbari. However, the 1969
distributorship contract between Diesel Power and Galion, which
- 190 -
gave rise to the commissions at issue, was signed by petitioner
on behalf of CTC and was in fact with CTC. The evidence shows
that Galion did business with CTC and dealt with Diesel Power as
CTC's Iranian affiliate. There is also evidence that Galion
employees believed that Diesel Power, CTC, and petitioner were
essentially the same. Petitioner and CTC employees controlled
the timing and payment of commissions from Galion by issuing
bills and directing payment. On a number of occasions there were
payments made directly to Diesel Power without such instructions
from CTC. Petitioner and CTC employees corrected this by
advising Galion of the correct procedures to be used, which
usually included direct payments to CTC. When other important
problems arose, such as a changeover of power in an Iranian
ministry, or the failure of Mr. Khalatbari to sign a contract in
1978, petitioner was expected to resolve them.
There is evidence that Diesel Power employees performed some
of the legwork required to earn the commissions by obtaining
price quotations and arranging for sales in Iran. However,
unlike work performed for other companies, it appears that all of
this work was performed at petitioner's direction and control,
and that Diesel Power was considered to be an Iranian branch of
CTC for Galion sales. Therefore, we conclude that petitioner
earned all of the Galion commissions that were paid or attributed
to Diesel Power and that petitioner should have reported them as
- 191 -
income. In addition to these amounts, respondent asserts an
amount of $32,560.36 in 1978 which was listed as "Other" on the
CTC receipts journal. Petitioner presented no evidence that this
was not income; therefore, we conclude that it was.
In the notice of deficiency for 1978, 1979, and 1981
respondent determined that petitioner was entitled to additional
offsets for cost of goods sold in the amounts of $148,706.31,
$95,633.62, and $5,862, respectively. According to respondent's
statement on brief, these additional amounts were a result of
respondent's determination that additional Galion commissions
were includable in income in those years. Having found that
petitioner's taxable income for those years should be increased
by the amounts received by Galion, it follows that respondent
correctly increased petitioner's cost of goods sold for those
years.
J. Clark
We note initially some matters pertaining to evidence and
pleading for certain years. In addition to the amounts that were
stipulated by the parties, respondent asserts in the proposed
findings of fact that there were deposits by Clark during 1973 to
the Zand FNCB London account of amounts in excess of $16,545, and
that there was unreported income in a similar (but not identical)
amount. However, either the record materials cited by respondent
in support thereof in appendix B relate to deposits in 1974 or
- 192 -
respondent cites an exhibit the accuracy of which we are unable
to identify. Therefore, we cannot determine that the total
amount of asserted deposits to the Zand FNCB London account of
$16,547.29 in respondent's appendix B is correct. We therefore
do not rely on appendix B for these asserted additional deposits
during 1973.
Respondent also asserts in appendix B that an additional
amount of $2,420.47 was deposited during 1976 to the Bank of
Teheran. However, respondent did not provide any support for
this amount. We also note that respondent has not filed a timely
amendment to answer with respect to this additional amount.
Respondent further asserts in appendix B that there was a 1977
payment in the amount of $3,221.00 to an unknown payee. However,
respondent provides no record support therefor.
Thus, there is no evidence that certain payments asserted in
the appendix B were made. Hence, we conclude that the stipulated
amounts constitute the correct figures. In addition, we hold for
petitioner with respect to respondent's assertions on brief that
there was additional 1976 income from Clark in the amount of
$681,783.24. Although this amount was stipulated to have been
paid to Diesel Power in 1976, respondent first made assertions
concerning these commissions on brief.
We now reach the issue of the Clark commission income for
the years 1973 through 1977. As an initial observation, we think
- 193 -
the 1974 representation from Clark that Diesel Power was Clark's
distributor in Iran is without significance. This representation
is based on a letter obtained at Mrs. Khalatbari's request in
order to facilitate the processing of transactions with Iran as a
procedural matter. It was not intended to be an indication of
who actually did the work or who controlled commissions earned in
connection with Clark. Therefore, we give this document little
weight.
With respect to the remainder of the evidence concerning
Clark, the Clark distribution contracts were with Diesel Power,
and thus the requirement that there be a contractual relationship
between the wholly owned (for years prior to 1975) corporation
and the payor is satisfied. Johnson v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. at
891. The issue of control, however, is more complex. Petitioner
testified that I.J. Zand and Mr. Khalatbari did all of the work
in connection with Clark, but there is other evidence that the
Clark contracts were implemented by employees of both CTC and
Diesel Power. Diesel Power employees provided local information,
made price quotes to companies in Iran, and acted as the local
representative. CTC employees performed all the billing and
collecting tasks. However, petitioner still appears to have been
ultimately responsible for the Clark contract. He negotiated a
large forklift sale for Clark. There also was a perception by
Clark employees that Diesel Power was petitioner's company.
- 194 -
When, in 1976, Iranian Air Force officials had been treated
rudely by a Clark employee, it was petitioner, not a Diesel Power
representative, who chastised Clark by letter. In the course of
this letter petitioner emphasized that, without his services,
Clark never would have even had a chance of receiving the large
forklift order. Petitioner further emphasized that his CTC
employees had spent considerable time working out the details of
the letter of credit and payment of commissions. During the
years 1973 through 1977 petitioner and his CTC employees did all
of the billing, and the directing of funds. We conclude that
throughout most of the relationship with Clark, at least through
1977, petitioner was in control of the commissions earned.
Therefore, petitioner is taxable on the Diesel Power commissions
properly alleged by respondent for all years through 1977.
The allegations pertaining to 1977 require special
discussion. Respondent determined in the notice of deficiency
that there was $22,545.46 in unreported income from Clark as
reflected on the CTC receipts journal. The stipulations indicate
that the CTC receipts journal records $14,013.71 as Diesel Power
commissions, which is close to the figure requested by respondent
in her proposed findings. For the reasons stated above, we
conclude that $14,013.71 constitutes unreported income for 1977.
Respondent also asserts on brief an additional amount of
$37,359.91 that was not recorded on the CTC receipts journal for
- 195 -
deposits to "Diesel Power's FNCB Geneva account". The
stipulations state that there were additional checks payable to
Diesel Power or to Diesel Power bank accounts in the total amount
of $38,569.34. However, respondent failed to either determine in
the notice of deficiency or to assert in the amendment to answer
an amount in excess of $22,545.46. In addition, that figure
represents alleged amounts that were reflected on the CTC
receipts journal and does not include funds that were not
recorded there. Respondent may not assert for the first time on
brief that these payments to Diesel Power or Diesel Power bank
accounts were income.
While the notice of deficiency determined additional income
from Clark in 1978 of $36,796.41, the CTC receipts journal shows
commissions allocated to Diesel Power of only $15,191.10. We
note that respondent makes no assertions on brief concerning
Clark commissions in 1978 other than the latter amount. Thus,
there is no record support for the remaining $21,605.31. We hold
for petitioner with respect to $21,605.31. With respect to the
balance of the $36,796.41 determined in the notice of deficiency,
or $15,191.10, there is sufficient evidence to hold for
petitioner as well. Petitioner no longer owned Diesel Power
stock in 1978 because he transferred it to the Khalatbaris in
December 1977. Nor by that point did petitioner control Diesel
Power in any meaningful sense. In 1977 a dispute had arisen
- 196 -
between CTC and Diesel Power over Clark commissions when Mr.
Khalatbari began to be assertive about commissions. The sense of
the 1977 letter from Mrs. Conway and Mrs. Meier to petitioner
about the dispute concerning Clark commissions is that
petitioner's former control was being challenged. The evidence
shows that this question was resolved when Mr. Khalatbari paid
approximately $325,000 to CTC in June of that year. Thus, by the
end of 1977, and particularly after the transfer of petitioner's
last 40 percent of Diesel Power stock to the Khalatbaris,
petitioner had lost his control over Diesel Power. We conclude
that the $15,191.10 of commissions allocated to Diesel Power on
the 1978 CTC receipts journal were not taxable to petitioner.
K. Miscellaneous Companies/Goodyear
Petitioner's only argument with respect to the relatively
small commissions received from various companies was that a
commission-splitting agreement existed between CTC and Diesel
Power, and that the allocation of commissions on the CTC receipts
journal was in accordance with that agreement. As we have
discussed, petitioner's alleged agreement, even if it existed, is
irrelevant to the question before us of who actually earned the
commissions at issue. Although there is little record evidence
of the dealings with these particular companies, the record as a
- 197 -
whole shows that until 1978 petitioner for the most part was in
control of Diesel Power and is taxable on most payments made or
attributed to Diesel Power. Where the evidence is lacking as to
which employees performed work for these companies, petitioner
has failed to meet his burden of proof. We therefore hold that
with the exception of the 1976 Exxon allegation, petitioner has
failed to meet his burden of proof for these miscellaneous
commissions. With respect to Exxon, respondent asserted an
amount for 1976 greater than the stipulated amounts attributed to
Diesel Power on the CTC receipts journal. We hold that the
stipulated amount of $12,082.61 constitutes the amount of
unreported 1976 income received from Exxon.
L. Petitioner's Withdrawals from Bank Accounts
Respondent makes a further argument that petitioner's income
includes amounts withdrawn from a Diesel Power account and from
the WHIP account at the times the withdrawals were made. Thus,
respondent contends that in the event that we do not hold that
petitioner had unreported commission income in the form of funds
received from Lockheed, Goodyear, Clark, Galion, and Morgan that
were deposited in the Diesel Power Bank of America account, as
well as Lockheed funds that were deposited in the WHIP Barclays
Bahamas account, petitioner had unreported income to the extent
- 198 -
of his withdrawals from those accounts. Respondent further
contends that because of respondent's concessions in connection
with Ingersoll-Rand payments deposited to the Diesel Power Bank
of America account, petitioner's withdrawals from that account
constitute unreported income in any event.
Respondent asserts first on brief that petitioner withdrew
the following amounts from the Diesel Power Bank of America
account:
Year Amount
1973 $655,500.00
1974 531,633.48
1975 1,345,766.60
1976 665,000.00
In our findings of fact, we found that the evidence supported
withdrawals by petitioner from that account in amounts somewhat
smaller than respondent's assertion, namely:
Year Amount
1973 $655,500.00
1974 531,633.48
1975 601,652.03
1976 265,000.00
Subsequently, on brief respondent asserts that the amounts to be
considered income to petitioner because they were converted to
his personal use were as follows:
- 199 -
Year Amount
1973 $605,500.00
1974 387,876.45
1975 575,000.00
1976 265,000.00
We assume that respondent has conceded both higher sets of
figures and now argues for only those sums that were converted to
petitioner's personal use. These are the figures that are the
basis for our holding.
Petitioner argues that these withdrawals were not income
because they constituted loans to him allegedly with the "full
knowledge and agreement of Mr. Khalatbari". However, there is no
documentary evidence in the record to support such an argument.
Furthermore, Diesel Power financial statements do not reflect any
loans made to shareholders. Petitioner testified that the amount
that was owed became a part of the litigation with Diesel Power
and was part of the claim of right which he subsequently reported
as income. As we stated in Gilbert v. Commissioner, 74 T.C. 60,
65 (1980), the critical question in resolving the issue of
whether there is a loan "is whether there was a genuine intention
to create a debt, which, in turn, depends upon weighing such
objective factors as reasonable expectation of repayment and the
economic reality of the claimed debtor-creditor relationship."
Petitioner has not presented any evidence other than his
testimony or that of his employees to convince us that these
withdrawals were loans. There is no loan agreement or promissory
- 200 -
note; there is no stated interest; there is no fixed maturity
date; there is no payment schedule; there is no collateral; and
there is no evidence that such loans were repaid. While
petitioner testified that these withdrawals were part of the
claim of right later asserted by him and which he included in
income, petitioner has not provided any documentary evidence to
support his self-serving testimony. Some sort of objective
factors demonstrating economic reality are required. See Wilkof
v. Commissioner, 636 F.2d 1139 (6th Cir. 1981), affg. T.C. Memo.
1978-496. There are no such factors present here. Accordingly,
we hold that, to the extent that commissions received from
Lockheed, Goodyear, Clark, Galion, Morgan, or Ingersoll-Rand did
not constitute income to petitioner in the years they were paid,
the withdrawals from the Diesel Power Bank of America account
which were converted to petitioner's personal use constituted
either constructive dividends or converted funds. In either
case, those withdrawals constituted income to petitioner in the
years of withdrawal.
III. Issues 4 and 5--Interest Income on Foreign Bank Accounts
In the years 1974 and 1975 petitioner had a bank account
with First National City Bank in London (FNCB), account number
1612131. The account earned interest for those years in the
amounts of $38,055.71 and $43,641,69, respectively. Petitioner
owned the account; he was the sole signatory to the account; he
- 201 -
had unfettered access to the account; his name was on the
account; and he directed the activities of the account.
Similarly, in 1976 petitioner's FNCB account number 245925 earned
interest in the amount of £27,466.39, the equivalent of
$44,127.50. He owned the account, he was a signatory, and he had
unfettered access to the account. Petitioner did not show that
his accounts had any restriction or were in any way controlled by
any person other than himself. He asserted through his testimony
and the testimony of other witnesses that he considered the
London accounts in his name to be those of Diesel Power.
However, in 1974 and 1975 Diesel Power also had an FNCB account
in London as well as FNCB accounts in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to the testimony, all Diesel Power officers were
signatories to the Diesel Power accounts. Petitioner's accounts
were separate. We hold, pursuant to section 61, that the
interest income on such accounts is taxable to petitioner. See
Marcus v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1992-234.
In 1974, 1975, and 1976 the bank account or time deposits in
the name of WHIP at the Barclays Bank Bahamas also earned
interest in the respective amounts of $25,025, $29,338.94, and
$16,998.06. As set forth in our findings of fact, WHIP was
simply a repository for the receipt of commissions earned from
Lockheed for petitioner's performance of services. Petitioner
was the sole shareholder of WHIP and exercised full control over
- 202 -
the funds in the Bahamian bank account. Respondent contends that
the separate corporate status of WHIP, whose sole business
activity was the bank account, should be ignored. We agree.
Although generally a corporation can only act through its
shareholders or officers and the distinction between the
corporation and its sole shareholder must be respected, this
particular situation is different. Petitioner, WHIP's sole
shareholder, testified that WHIP had no operations. Instead,
WHIP was merely a paper corporation whose only purpose was to
hold funds in a tax haven jurisdiction so that the funds would
escape scrutiny for tax and other purposes. Since WHIP was a
mere skeleton, its existence is disregarded. See Noonan v.
Commissioner, 52 T.C. 907, 909-910 (1969), affd. per curiam 451
F.2d 992 (9th Cir. 1971); Aldon Homes, Inc. v. Commissioner, 33
T.C. 582, 597 (1959). Therefore, we hold that the interest
earned on the WHIP account is includable in petitioner's gross
income for the years in question.
IV. Issue 7--Amount and Character of Gain on Sale of Diesel
Power Stock
On his 1977 Federal income tax return petitioner reported a
long-term capital gain of $4,805,864 from the sale of Diesel
Power stock that he had held since 1958. Respondent determined,
pursuant to section 1248, that petitioner was required to treat
gain from the sale of his Diesel Power stock as ordinary dividend
income rather than long-term capital gain. Respondent also
- 203 -
determined that his gain from the stock sale was $3,925,000
rather than $4,805,864.
Section 1248 was intended to tax foreign accumulated income
at ordinary, as opposed to capital gain, rates. Teller v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1992-402. Section 1248(a) provides that
gain from the sale of stock in a foreign corporation is to be
treated as a dividend (to the extent of earnings and profits
attributable to such stock which were accumulated while the
corporation was a "controlled foreign corporation") if the stock
is sold by a United States person who owned 10 percent or more of
all classes of stock entitled to vote during the 5-year period
ending on the date of the sale or exchange when the foreign
corporation was a controlled foreign corporation.
Although petitioner contends otherwise, we think the
requirements necessary to invoke section 1248 are present here.
For purposes of section 1248 the term "United States person"
includes a U.S. citizen, section 1.1248-1(a), Income Tax Regs.;
section 7701(a)(30), which petitioner has been since 1953. A
"controlled foreign corporation" is any foreign corporation in
which more than 50 percent of the total voting stock is owned or
considered owned by a U.S. shareholder on any day during the
foreign corporation's taxable year. Sec. 957(a).
Diesel Power was an Iranian corporation. Petitioner
acquired 100 percent of Diesel Power's stock for nothing in 1958
- 204 -
and owned 100 percent of Diesel Power's stock until at least
November 1974. Thus, Diesel Power was a controlled foreign
corporation until at least Diesel Power's fiscal (or Iranian
calendar) year, which ended March 20, 1975. Moreover, it is
agreed that petitioner owned at least 40 percent of Diesel
Power's voting stock until December 1977. Thus, the requirements
of section 1248(a) are met; i.e., the stock was sold by a United
States person who owned at least 10 percent of the foreign
corporation's voting stock, and he owned that stock at a time
when the foreign corporation was a controlled foreign corporation
and which fell within the 5-year period ending on the date of the
sale.
The only remaining question is the extent of Diesel Power's
accumulated earning and profits for purposes of section 1248
through Diesel Power's March 20, 1975, fiscal year. As reflected
on Diesel Power's financial statement, as of March 20, 1975, the
amount of retained earnings and the amount due shareholders
totaled $2,483,188.73. The March 20, 1975, fiscal year is the
appropriate date because during that year Diesel Power was a
controlled foreign corporation at least 1 day, as is required for
section 1248 to apply. Sec. 957(a). However, Diesel Power's
financial statements do not reflect foreign assets or amounts in
foreign bank accounts. In 1972, commission payments in excess of
$550,000 were deposited into the Bank of America account in
- 205 -
Diesel Power's name in New York City. At least $2,470,000 was
placed in Diesel Power's foreign accounts in 1973 and 1974.
Other commission payments were deposited to Diesel Power's
FNCB accounts and to the Banque de Paris accounts in Geneva,
Switzerland. With respect to the Swiss accounts, the evidence
shows that there were substantial sums deposited. While the
burden of proof is on petitioner to show the lack of accumulated
earnings and profits in his controlled foreign corporation under
section 1248(h), the evidence shows that Diesel Power's earnings
and profits were far in excess of the $2,483,188 shown on its
financial statements as of the close of its fiscal year ended
March 20, 1975. Many of the funds deposited to the Bank of
America account disappeared into the secrecy of Swiss bank
accounts, leaving no trace as to whether they were ever
transferred into Teheran and possibly included on the financial
statements as earnings and profits of Diesel Power. However,
since Diesel Power did not want to have funds deposited to
Teheran banks, it is likely that such amounts did not end up in
Teheran or on Diesel Power's financial statements.
We conclude that Diesel Power's earnings and profits through
1974 included not only the $2,483,188 reflected on its financial
statements, but also the funds deposited to the Swiss bank
accounts and the Bank of America account. Adding the commissions
deposited to bank accounts in the name of Diesel Power outside
- 206 -
Iran to the reported retained earnings per the financial
statements approximates $5 million in earnings and profits.
Because Diesel Power's earnings and profits through 1974
were in excess of $5 million, the $3,925,000 amount determined by
respondent to be petitioner's gain from the sale of his Diesel
Power stock is deemed to be ordinary dividend income, rather than
long-term capital gain, pursuant to section 1248.
We note that petitioner does not contend that Diesel Power
lacked sufficient earnings and profits. It is not mentioned in
his brief. Instead, petitioner claims that section 1248 is
inapplicable because he sold 60 percent of his Diesel Power stock
in 1971; therefore, Diesel Power was not a controlled foreign
corporation within 5 years of petitioner's 1977 stock sale. This
in incorrect. The parties stipulated that petitioner owned 100
percent of Diesel Power's stock until at least Novemer 1974;
petitioner filed Forms 2952 to that effect; and petitioner
testified that he owned 100 percent of Diesel Power until at
least June 1974.
Accordingly, we hold that petitioner had a gain of
$3,925,000 on the sale of his Diesel Power stock in 1977 and that
such gain is taxable as ordinary income.
V. Issues 8 and 9--Claimed Reduction in 1979 Reported Income
Under a Claim of Right and Section 1341 Tax Computation for
1981
- 207 -
Although petitioner does not argue on brief in support of
his position that 1979 reported income should be reduced by
$348,350 attributable to a "claim of right" adjustment or that
his 1981 income tax calculation should be based upon section
1341, he requests the Court to so find in his proposed findings
of fact. An analysis clearly shows that petitioner is not
entitled to a reduction in 1979 nor to tax computation relief in
1981.
The parties agree that on petitioner's 1979 tax return he
included in income approximately $1.6 million that he had in his
possession representing commission income he received from
manufacturers in prior years. On the return he reported that
this amount was includable in income because he had determined
that he would not transmit the funds to Mr. Khalatbari or Diesel
Power because of their disputes. In an amended return petitioner
claims the income previously reported should be reduced by
$348,350, with the explanation that he did not receive as much as
he thought he would in the sale of Diesel Power stock. The fact
that there was a dispute over the sale price for the Diesel Power
stock has nothing to do with the claim of right petitioner
exercised over commissions that he earned and held in his
possession during 1979 and prior years. They are two separate
items. Petitioner still retained the commission funds; the stock
sale dispute was over the price for disposition of his capital
- 208 -
asset; i.e., his stock in the company. Furthermore, in the
notice of deficiency respondent reduced petitioner's reported
gain from the sale of the Diesel Power stock to reflect what
respondent then understood petitioner had received.
Similarly, for 1981 petitioner claimed on his return that
his tax was zero, also due to his claim of right theory, even
though taxable income shown on the filed return was $315,928.
There is no evidence in the record of what amount petitioner paid
to Mr. Khalatbari in settlement of the litigation or to what
items the repayment was attributable. The only evidence is the
return and some vague statements by the return preparer that he
determined an amount had been paid that could give rise to a
section 1341 calculation. There is no evidence of record of how
the amount was calculated because the Court did not admit Joint
Exhibit 556-UJ into evidence. Accordingly, we hold that
petitioner is not entitled to reduce 1979 reported income by
$348,350.
VI. Issue 10--Claimed Schedule C Business Expense Deductions
In the notices of deficiency covering the years 1973 through
1981 respondent disallowed substantial business expense
deductions on three grounds, namely: (1) That they had not been
substantiated; (2) that they were not shown to be ordinary and
necessary; or (3) that they were not shown to be petitioner's
expenses, but were those of another taxpayer. Petitioner
- 209 -
contends that the evidence presented with respect to the business
expense deductions was virtually unchallenged by respondent. It
is our view that, for the most part, there was no need for
respondent to challenge the evidence offered by petitioner on the
deduction issues because the evidence presented failed to show
that the majority of the business expenses claimed were
petitioner's ordinary and necessary business expenses or that he
was otherwise entitled to the various amounts claimed. He also
contends that respondent's reasons for disallowing various
deductions were not clear in every instance. To the contrary,
the notices of deficiency specifically set forth which deductions
were allowed and disallowed, and provide a narrative explanation
for the disallowance.
We have made detailed and specific findings of fact with
respect to the claimed business expense deductions. We think no
useful purpose would be served by reiterating each and every fact
in this opinion. However, we will discuss the major disputed
items.
Section 162(a) provides that "There shall be allowed as a
deduction all the ordinary and necessary expenses paid or
incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or
business". The regulations promulgated under section 162 clarify
that only those ordinary and necessary business expenses
- 210 -
"directly connected with or pertaining to the taxpayer's trade or
business" may be deducted. Sec. 1.162-1(a), Income Tax Regs.
Whether an expenditure is ordinary and necessary is
generally a question of fact. Commissioner v. Heininger, 320
U.S. 467, 475 (1943). To be "necessary" within the meaning of
section 162, an expense need only be "appropriate and helpful" to
the taxpayer's business. Welch v. Helvering, 290 U.S. at 113.
For an expense to be "ordinary", "the transaction which gives
rise to it must be of common or frequent occurrence in the type
of business involved." Deputy v. du Pont, 308 U.S. 488, 495
(1940) (citing Welch v. Helvering, supra at 114).
Section 6001 and the regulations promulgated thereunder
require taxpayers to maintain records sufficient to permit
verification of income and expenses. As a general rule, if the
trial record provides sufficient evidence that the taxpayer has
incurred a deductible expense, but the taxpayer is unable to
adequately substantiate the amount of the deduction to which he
or she is otherwise entitled, the Court may estimate the amount
of such expense and allow the deduction to that extent. Cohan v.
Commissioner, 39 F.2d 540, 543-544 (2d Cir. 1930). However, in
order for the Court to estimate the amount of an expense, we must
have some basis upon which an estimate may be made. Vanicek v.
Commissioner, 85 T.C. 731, 743 (1985). Without such a basis, any
- 211 -
allowance would amount to unguided largesse. Williams v. United
States, 245 F.2d 559, 560 (5th Cir. 1957).
Expenditures for items that are capital in nature are not
deductible by the taxpayer. Sec. 263. However, the cost of
capital expenditures may be recoverable through depreciation or
amortization. Business expenses, like other deductions claimed
on a tax return, must be substantiated by the taxpayer, who bears
the burden of proof. Rule 142(a). In order to be deductible,
business expenses must be those incurred by the taxpayer in his
trade or business, and not expenses of another individual or
entity. Bistrup v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1980-402.
The underlying issues involving the cost of goods sold and
business expense deductions claimed by petitioner fall within one
or more of the three areas mentioned above.
A. Cost of Goods Sold
As reflected in our findings of fact, we conclude that
petitioner overstated cost of goods sold by $33,242.12 for 1973.
His taxable income should be increased by that amount.
Petitioner has conceded the adjustment of $32,704.82 in cost of
goods sold for 1974, and $57,154.81 of $68,815.64 claimed for
1977. We sustain respondent's determination with respect to the
remaining amount ($11,660.83) for 1977.
- 212 -
In the notice of deficiency for the taxable years 1978,
1979, and 1981 respondent increased petitioner's cost of goods
sold in the amounts of $145,706, $95,633.60, and $5,862,
respectively. These amounts are related to additional income
from Galion that was included in the notice of deficiency for
these taxable years. Having decided that petitioner's taxable
income should be increased by the amounts from Galion, it follows
that respondent correctly increased petitioner's cost of goods
sold for those years.
B. Commission Expenses
For some of the commission expenses claimed as deductions
for the years 1973 through 1978 petitioner failed to substantiate
the business purpose and that the expenditures were his ordinary
and necessary business expenses. Other than the unidentified
amounts of $170 in 1973 and $16,000 in 1975, respondent concedes
that the claimed amounts were paid.
As to the amounts petitioner paid to Hillary Wood during the
years 1973 through 1977, petitioner raises on brief the
possibility that respondent would argue that the payments to
Hillary Wood were illegal payments to Iranian Government
officials or employees. Respondent has not taken that position.
The reason for disallowing the payments to Hillary Wood in the
notice of deficiency and in respondent's brief is that such
- 213 -
payments were not ordinary and necessary business expenses.
Petitioner, however, attempts to show that the payments to Ms.
Wood were ordinary and necessary business expenses. Over a
period of 4 years and 1 month petitioner paid Hillary Wood about
$73,500. Ms. Wood resided in Paris, while petitioner resided in
Columbus, Ohio, and carried on most of his business activities in
Iran. Petitioner was able to point to only one Iranian
Government official to whom he received an introduction through
Ms. Wood. Further, he was already well connected with several
high ranking officials in the Iranian Government. Therefore, it
is unlikely that petitioner needed someone from France to assist
him in meeting Iranian Government officials. We think it is
clear that very few, if any, of the services Hillary Wood
provided to petitioner qualify as ordinary and necessary business
expenses for payments of $1,500 per month for 49 consecutive
months. Therefore, we sustain respondent's determination.
Petitioner claimed that the amounts of $16,100 in 1973,
$25,000 in 1974, and $2,130 in 1978, paid to his brother, I.J.
Zand, are deductible. As reflected in our findings of fact, we
hold that the amounts paid as commissions are petitioner's
ordinary and necessary business expenses. The same thing is true
with respect to $15,000 in commissions paid to petitioner's
- 214 -
brother, Monty Zand, in 1973. However, the amounts paid to Mr.
Sabety in 1973, 1974, and 1978 are not allowable.
The claimed "commission expense transfer payments" of
$23,686 in 1973 and $30,000 in 1974 to the Bank of Minora are
petitioner's ordinary and necessary business expenses and
therefore deductible.
Respondent has conceded a commission expense payment of
$10,000 to A.K. Said in 1973. Petitioner has conceded a payment
of $75,000 to Stewart & Stevenson in 1975.
The July 7, 1973, payment to an illegible payee in the
amount of $35,000 has not been proven to be an ordinary and
necessary expense of petitioner. Thus, it is disallowed.
Similarly, the $170 payment in 1973, and the $16,000 payment in
1975 were unidentified. Both deductions are disallowed.
For the year 1974 petitioner claimed a commission expense in
the amount of $75,000 paid to Hossein Zanganeh. Petitioner
reimbursed himself from Diesel Power's Bank of America account
for this amount. Mr. Zanganeh earned this commission for
assisting petitioner in selling Lockheed aircraft in Iran.
Respondent agrees that Mr. Zanganeh was paid for assisting
petitioner in the sale of the Lockheed aircraft and spare parts
to the Iranian Government. However, petitioner is not entitled
- 215 -
to any deduction for 1974 because he was reimbursed from Diesel
Power's Bank of America account for that payment.
No business purpose was shown for either the $2,000 payment
to Sadek Massey in 1974, or the $4,756 payment to Ladham Alam in
1974. (We note that petitioner claimed a deduction of $5,250 for
the $4,756 payment to Ms. Alam.) Thus, both deductions are
disallowed.
Having found that all the commissions paid by General Motors
with respect to the sale of locomotives to Pakistan constitute
income to petitioner, we conclude, and respondent agrees, that
commission expenses paid to Amelia Corporation of $234,033.42 in
1975 and $362,003.36 in 1976 are deductible by petitioner.
Petitioner failed to show a business purpose to substantiate
the lodging expenses, car rental, and medical expenses for Mr.
Emelian's son. Petitioner failed to itemize the $4,443 cash
payment to Mr. Emelian. Hence, the total deduction of $7,028.33
is disallowed.
Petitioner failed to prove that the $1,000 payment to Mr.
Bolanhemat in 1975 was his ordinary and necessary business
expense. Thus, this deduction is disallowed.
For the year 1976, petitioner deducted a commission expense
of $10,000 paid to Alfred Borsharpour, who assisted Diesel Power
in attempting to market Lockheed's earth resources program in
- 216 -
Iran. This program was not successful. Since earth resources
was a Diesel Power program, the amounts paid by petitioner to Mr.
Borsharpour were not his ordinary and necessary business
expenses.
The 1976 payment of $1,500 to Don Kahler in settlement of a
disputed bill was an ordinary and necessary business expense of
CTC, petitionner's sole proprietorship. Therefore, this
deduction is allowed.
There was no business purpose shown for either the 1978 $500
payment to Celia Longenbaker or the 1978 payment in the amount of
$736.54 to TWA for Mr. Rayhanni's Chicago travel expenses.
Hence, both deductions are disallowed.
C. Consulting Fees
For the years 1977, 1978, and 1979 petitioner made payments
of $18,266.10, $14,377.13, and $12,445.39, respectively, to Larry
Castoe. Included in the payments made on behalf of Mr. Castoe
are payments to CDC, stock exchanges fees, expenses for financial
publications and services, and expenses for items for which the
business purpose is not readily apparent.
Mr. Castoe was a stockbroker in Columbus, Ohio, who made his
services available to CTC, Diesel Power, petitioner and other
Iranians to make investments in stock on their behalf. Mr.
Khalatbari also purchased stock through Mr. Castoe. Petitioner
- 217 -
purchased stock through Mr. Castoe on one or two occasions.
Petitioner has failed to show how the payments made to or on
behalf of Mr. Castoe constitute his ordinary and necessary
business expense. He has not shown how Mr. Castoe's activities
relate to his trade or business of representing U.S.
manufacturers selling machinery or developing real estate.
Commissions paid to a stockbroker are taken into account in
computing the gain or loss on the sale of stock. Such amounts
are not ordinary and necessary business expenses because the
expenses of an investor are not trade or business expenses.
Higgins v. Commissioner, 312 U.S. 212 (1941). In addition,
petitioner has not established a relationship between the
payments made to or on behalf of Mr. Castoe and any investments
he may have made through Mr. Castoe. For these reasons, we
sustain respondent's determination.
For the years 1978 and 1979 petitioner deducted fees paid to
his brother, I.J. Zand, in the amounts of $100,000 and $50,000,
respectively. Petitioner maintains that these payments are
deductible due to a fee splitting arrangement he had with his
brother concerning an agreement petitioner had with Harris
Corporation. Petitioner substantiated the payment to I.J. Zand
in the amount of $100,000 for the year 1978, and respondent
concedes that amount. However, petitioner has failed to
- 218 -
establish when the $50,000 claimed for the year 1979 was paid.
CTC's 1979 disbursements journal reflects an account payable to
I.J. Zand on June 15, 1979, of $50,000. However, petitioner's
books and other evidence fail to show when or whether this
account payable to I.J. Zand was paid. Since petitioner is a
cash basis taxpayer, he may not claim a deduction for an account
payable. Sec. 461; sec. 1.461-1(a)(1), Income Tax Regs. Because
he has not shown that the $50,000 was paid in 1979, he is not
entitled to the deduction claimed.
D. Management Fees
For the years 1977, 1978, and 1979 respondent disallowed
management fees in the amounts of $96,396, $72,609, and $67,943,
respectively. For the year 1980 respondent disallowed the amount
of $106,601, which consists of payments for investment counsel
totaling $4,500 and payments for consulting and salaries totaling
$102,101.
The majority of the amounts at issue consist of alleged
payments to CDC for management fees. CDC was incorporated on
September 27, 1976. Petitioner held a controlling interest in
CDC.
For the year 1977 petitioner presented no evidence as to how
the amount of the management fee paid was determined or what
services were rendered by CDC to him in exchange for the fee.
- 219 -
Instead, to support this deduction, petitioner relies on a June
22, 1977, entry in CTC's cash disbursements journal of $100,000
paid to CDC. His accountant, Mr. Dutton, could not confirm that
this payment was for a management fee or any other specific
services, nor was Mr. Dutton able to describe how the amount of
the payment was determined. Petitioner also offers no
explanation for the difference between the $100,000 payment made
June 22, 1977, and the claimed deduction of $96,369.
Accordingly, we hold that petitioner has not established that the
claimed management fee was paid or was an ordinary and necessary
business expense. Thus, he is not entitled to the deduction
claimed.
For the years 1978 and 1979 petitioner offered time
allocation reports and summary workpapers prepared by his
employees in support of the management fees claimed.
For 1978 the first page of Exh. 3138 lists the items which
make up the expense claimed. These items are wages allocable to
CDC, payroll taxes for such wages, a management fee equal to 10
percent of the wage expense, rents received, and rent credit. No
justification was given for either the purpose or the percentage
of the management fee. Furthermore, the time allocation reports
indicate that petitioner's employees merely wore different hats
- 220 -
at different times in various businesses. This is not sufficient
justification for deducting a management fee.
In 1979 the alleged management fee was increased to 15
percent. A similar method of keeping track of the services
rendered by the employees was utilized. Additionally, in
computing the deduction claimed for 1979 petitioner failed to
offset the management fee claimed by the rent credit, a total
amount of $16,269. Petitioner also failed to report the rental
income on his 1979 income tax return.
As substantiation for payment of the management fee claimed,
petitioner again offered workpapers. Although the first page of
these workpapers lists two accounts payable to CDC in the amounts
of $44,475.29 and $7,198.69, petitioner failed to prove that the
alleged management fees claimed in 1978 and 1979 in the amounts
of $72,609 and $67,943 were actually paid. His cash
disbursements journal for 1978 does reflect a number of payments
to CDC. However, the purpose of most of these payments is not
identified, and none of the payments match the amounts reflected
in the summary workpapers. Furthermore, no checks were issued by
petitioner to CDC for management fees. Certain other payments
recorded in petitioner's 1978 disbursements journal are listed
under a column identified as rent. These payments pertain to the
deduction of $31,842 claimed on petitioner's Schedule C for 1978
- 221 -
as rent. Other payments identified in the cash disbursements
journal as made to CDC were paid on behalf of Mr. Castoe.
On brief petitioner does not point to any specific amounts
in the record that would substantiate the payments to CDC for
management fees in 1978 and 1979. Instead, he claims that the
payments may have been made by offsetting amounts due him from
CDC. However, petitioner has provided no reconciliations or
other workpapers documenting when and in what amounts any such
offsets were made. Accordingly, the management fees for 1978 and
1979 are disallowed.
For the year 1980 petitioner provided little documentation
in support of expenses claimed for investment counseling in the
amount of $4,500 and consulting and salaries in the amount of
$102,101. He presented only invoices to CTC from CDC dated
February 29, 1980, in the amount of $6,487.83 and April 9, 1980,
in the amount of $461.73. Petitioner's cash disbursements
journal for 1980 does not reflect payment of the amounts claimed.
Therefore, we hold that he has failed to substantiate these
amounts, and they are not deductible.
- 222 -
E. Legal and Professional Fees
Petitioner claimed a deduction for the amount of $2,097.34
on his 1975 Federal income tax return. The deduction claimed was
for a payment to DuBois Jansson for Mr. Jansson's services in
connection with products to be sold to Iranian State Railways.
Because we have previously held that petitioner is taxable on the
income from the sales to Iranian State Railways, he is entitled
to deduct the $2,097.34 paid to Mr. Jansson
Respondent disallowed legal fees paid to George, Greek,
King, McMahon & McConnaughey, a Columbus, Ohio, law firm in the
amounts of $57,921.08 in 1976, $57,419.26 in 1977, and $25,059.21
in 1978. Petitioner offered a variety of bills from the law firm
in support of the business purpose of these fees. However, the
bills do not itemize the particular services rendered, the time
spent for particular services, and the corresponding charge.
Instead, they list the general nature of the matter for which
services were rendered. Included in the services rendered are
acquisition of real estate, conferences concerning Harris
Corporation, work on the Clark arbitration matter, drafting
leases, a dispute involving property purchased, services
concerning joint ventures, a corporate liquidation, conferences
with representatives of insurance companies on insurance and
pension matters, and tax issues. The legal fees petitioner
- 223 -
incurred with respect to the purchases and sales of real estate,
the joint ventures, the fees concerning Harris Corporation if
they dealt with a long-term contract for services, and the
corporate liquidation are capital expenditures rather than
ordinary and necessary business expenses. See Collins v.
Commissioner, 54 T.C. 1656 (1970); Bilar Tool & Die Corp. v.
Commissioner, 530 F.2d 708 (6th Cir. 1976). Furthermore, the
legal fees petitioner incurred with respect to insurance and
pension matters are his personal expenses rather than ordinary
and necessary business expenses. In contrast, respondent agrees
that any fees incurred for tax matters and landlord-tenant
problems are petitioner's ordinary and necessary business
expenses. Finally, as will be discussed in more detail below,
the fees paid in the arbitration between Clark Equipment and
Diesel Power are the expenses of Diesel Power, and not those of
petitioner. The payments to George, Greek pertaining to the
Clark arbitration involving Diesel Power were specifically set
forth as $20,607.58, $17,950.59, and $6,315.68 for the years
1976, 1977, and 1978, respectively.
Thus, petitioner's legal expenses include both deductible
and nondeductible items. Problematically, petitioner's
supporting documentation, the law firm bills, lacks the requisite
specificity to demonstrate what amount of the fees is reallocable
- 224 -
to deductible items versus nondeductible items. Consequently,
petitioner has failed to meet his burden of proof as to the
amount of such fees that is deductible for Federal income tax
purposes. Merians v. Commissioner, 60 T.C. 187 (1973). In
addition to these fees, we note that other expenses for 1976 and
1977 also relate to the same arbitration. When Clark Equipment
Company canceled its distributorship with Diesel Power, Diesel
Power was left with Clark Equipment inventory on hand that it
could not sell. The distributorship agreement provided for
arbitration to resolve such disputes. Diesel Power was
represented in this matter by George, Greek. The other fees paid
to Walder, Wyss, & Maier, Coudert Freres, and A. Sarisin & Cie
represented deposits and arbitrator fees that Diesel Power was
required to pay. Since the dispute concerned a distributorship
agreement and inventory of Diesel Power rather than petitioner,
the legal fees and other arbitration expenses are those of Diesel
Power and not those of petitioner.
Petitioner claimed a deduction in the amount of $9,312.49 on
his 1976 income tax return for payment to Larry Castoe for
professional services. Because petitioner has not shown that Mr.
Castoe's fee was petitioner's ordinary and necessary business
expense, this deduction is disallowed.
- 225 -
For the year 1976 petitioner claimed a deduction for legal
and professional fees in the amount of $19,799.12 paid to
architect J. Foley. This amount comprises $4,779.12 paid with
respect to a housing project for General Dynamics and $15,000
paid with respect to the purchase and construction of the
building on Riverside Drive which housed CTC's operations. The
amount paid pertaining to the housing project for General
Dynamics employees is not an ordinary and necessary business
expense of petitioner. For the years at issue, he reported no
income from General Dynamics. Thus, any fees paid for services
rendered by Mr. Foley to General Dynamics would be a business
expense of General Dynamics, not petitioner. Furthermore, these
fees are capital in nature. The fees paid for the services
rendered with respect to the purchase and construction of CTC's
office building are clearly capital expenditures and not current
deductions. Sec. 263(a).
Petitioner deducted $2,425.20 as a professional fee paid to
Price Waterhouse for its services rendered as resident agent of
WHIP, a Bahamian corporation. Because WHIP was a shell
corporation, this payment was petitioner's ordinary and necessary
business expense. Hence, the deduction is allowed.
On his 1978 income tax return, petitioner deducted payments
totaling $5,000 made to Sandra Rossi and Celia Longenbaker.
- 226 -
However, these payments were recorded in CTC's journal as made to
Mr. Shamloo, an Iranian lawyer. No business purpose for the
payments was shown. No explanation was given for why the
payments were made to Sandra Rossi and Celia Longenbaker instead
of Mr. Shamloo. Hence, the $5,000 deduction is disallowed.
For the year 1979 respondent disallowed legal and
professional fees in the amount of $10,082 claimed by petitioner.
Of this amount, $3,710 was paid to the New York law firm of White
& Case. Respondent concedes that $850 of the amount paid is
deductible by petitioner. However, the remaining amounts paid to
White & Case represent fees paid in connection with the purchase
of a cooperative apartment in New York City for petitioner's
daughter. That amount is petitioner's personal expense and is,
therefore, not deductible as a business expense.
Petitioner deducted $910 on his 1979 income tax return for
legal fees paid to Chester, Saxbe, Hoffman & Wilcox. Because the
business purpose of this payment was not shown, the $910
deduction is disallowed.
F. Salaries and Wages
There remain in dispute for 1974 and 1976 payments to
petitioner's brother, I.J. Zand, in the amounts of $9,000 and
$5,000, respectively, claimed as salaries and wages. Unlike the
commission expenses, the payments to I.J. Zand claimed as
- 227 -
salaries and wages in 1974 and 1976 are not deductible by
petitioner. I.J. Zand was a Diesel Power employee.
Consequently, the salaries and wages paid to him are not
deductible by petitioner because he has not established his
business purpose for the amounts paid to his brother or that the
expenses were not those of Diesel Power.
G. Office Expenses
Respondent disallowed various office expenses claimed for
the years 1973 through 1978. The issues are factual and many of
the amounts are small. Our findings are dispositive of the items
involved. We will comment only on the larger items; i.e., office
furniture and equipment, an Ohio Bell telephone expense, and
condominium rent.
The expense claimed in 1973 for office furniture in the
amount of $1,498.49 is a duplication of business assets
depreciated by petitioner. The depreciation schedule attached to
his 1973 tax return shows the acquisition in 1973 of furniture in
the amount of $296.25 and a desk in the amount of $1,202.24.
These two items total $1,498.49, the same amount petitioner tried
to expense as office furniture. The deduction is disallowed.
For the year 1974 respondent capitalized office furniture
purchases which totaled $4,020.41. The individual items are set
forth in the depreciation schedule attached to the notice of
- 228 -
deficiency. The items are a Morgan desk ($592.28), Lazarus
office machine ($258.76), a Morgan desk ($954.97), an IBM
typewriter ($696), and telephone equipment ($1,518.40). Each of
these items clearly has a useful life of more than 1 year, and,
consequently, for Federal income tax purposes, their cost must be
recovered through depreciation rather than as an expense.
The deductions claimed for office furniture and equipment
for the years 1975 and 1976 are in the amounts of $16,873.59 and
$4,407.96. There is no evidence in the record to show the items
for which these expenditures were incurred. The depreciation
schedule attached to the notice of deficiency sets forth items of
furniture and equipment that respondent determined were capital
expenses rather than ordinary expenses, and which petitioner
substantiated. Thus, because there is no evidence to show that
the items claimed constitute ordinary expenses, we sustain
respondent's determination.
For the year 1975 respondent disallowed a payment to Ohio
Bell in the amount of $7,359.75. This payment is for a CTC
telephone bill dated November 14, 1975, which consists of a one-
time charge in the amount of $6,626.30 and other charges for
services totaling $661.16. Respondent concedes that petitioner
is entitled to deduct the other charges in the amount of $661.16.
However, petitioner has failed to verify the type of equipment or
- 229 -
service provided, or the business purpose of the one-time charge
of $6,262.30. Thus, since petitioner has not established the
business purpose for this expense or that it is an ordinary
rather than a capital expense, no deduction is allowed.
For the year 1978, petitioner deducted $9,000 for
condominium rent paid to his son-in-law, Joseph Dinunzio. The
rent was prepaid in 1978 for the year 1979, and was based on the
estimated fair rental value of the condominium plus the cost of
furnishing it. Mr. Dinunzio acquired the condominium in the fall
of 1978 from the Riviera Condominium Company of Naples, financing
the purchase with a 100-percent mortgage from Dollar Savings of
Ohio. Petitioner was a shareholder in the Riviera Condominium
Company of Naples.
The amount paid to Mr. Dinunzio for the use of this
condominium does not constitute an ordinary and necessary
business expense of petitioner. Rather, the evidence shows that
petitioner was merely continuing to help his daughter and her new
husband get established. Petitioner had already provided his
son-in-law with employment immediately after Mr. Dinunzio
graduated from college. Furthermore, shortly thereafter, Mr.
Dinunzio's duties were expanded to include the vice presidency at
no less than four business entities controlled by petitioner;
i.e., CDC, Caspian Machinery, Caspian Electric, and Caspian
- 230 -
Florida. Petitioner also purchased a home in Columbus, Ohio, for
his daughter and Mr. Dinunzio and bought him a Cadillac.
Accordingly, we hold that the $9,000 paid by petitioner to
Mr. Dinunzio did not constitute an ordinary and necessary
business expense, and, therefore, the deduction is disallowed.
Additionally, petitioner's 1980 rent expense deduction in the
amount of $6,451.86 is disallowed. The expense was personal;
i.e., rent paid for a New York City condominium for petitioner's
daughter.
H. Interest Expense
For the years 1973 through 1980 respondent disallowed
deductions claimed by petitioner for interest expenses of $3,250,
$3,000, $142,500.17, $27,579.67, $3,093.12, $20,034, and $74,879,
respectively.
With respect to the amounts claimed as interest expense to
Mr. Sabety, petitioner substantiated payments in the amounts of
$3,000 for 1973, $3,000 for 1974, $2,950.96 for 1975, $3,000 for
1976 and $1,000 for 1977. However, petitioner presented no
evidence to show a debtor-creditor relationship between himself
and Mr. Sabety. In 1967, Mr. Sabety invested $20,000 through
petitioner in an entity known as Caspian International Jordan.
Petitioner did not incur personal liability to Mr. Sabety for the
amount invested, nor did he sign a note. From this investment
- 231 -
Mr. Sabety was to receive a monthly payment of at least $250.
There is no further evidence in the record of this investment.
Since petitioner has failed to establish that the payments to Mr.
Sabety constitute his interest expense, the deduction is
disallowed.
For the year 1975 petitioner claimed interest expense paid
to Diesel Power in the amount of $137,500.17. Petitioner filed
an amended income tax return for 1975 reducing the interest
expense paid to Diesel Power by $41,245.39. Thus, the remaining
amount in dispute is $96,254.78.
Petitioner paid Diesel Power $125,000 on December 30, 1975.
In CTC's cash disbursements journal this amount is listed under
the transfer column and is noted "interest on loan drawn by Zand
since 1973." In 1978, when petitioner was attempting to
determine where he stood financially with Diesel Power, the
$125,000 payment was treated no differently than other CTC
transfers to Diesel Power. In addition, by filing the amended
return petitioner admitted that the claimed interest expense was
no more than $96,254.78. Moreover, he has presented no notes or
other loan documents evidencing a debtor-creditor relationship
between himself and Diesel Power.
Testimony was presented that petitioner borrowed moneys from
Diesel Power. However, this testimony was not specific with
- 232 -
respect to amounts of such loans, dates of such loans, interest
rates, or payment schedules. Since petitioner has failed to
establish that $96,254.78 or any portion of the $125,000 paid to
Diesel Power on December 30, 1975, is interest expense, the
deduction is not allowed.
For the years 1975 and 1977, petitioner deducted interest
expenses in the amounts of $2,049.04 and $688.32, respectively.
Neither payment can be identified. Therefore, petitioner has
failed to meet his burden of proof with respect to these amounts,
and the deductions are disallowed.
For the year 1976 petitioner deducted $24,400.87 paid to
W.P. Glass on June 1, 1976, as interest expense. This amount was
recorded in CTC's cash disbursements journal as an interest
payment for a ranch. However, the entry in this journal is not
accurate. In fact, the payment of $24,400.87 to Mr. Glass was
for the acquisition of real estate, a ranch purchased as an asset
of the A-Z Ranch Partnership. Petitioner admits that the payment
to Mr. Glass was a portion of the purchase price of real property
that was an asset of the partnership. Thus, this amount does not
constitute interest expense. Sec. 163.
For the years 1979, 1980, and 1981 petitioner claimed
interest expenses paid to the Mirhosseini family in the amounts
of $15,000, $44,879, and $36,000, respectively. On or about
September 10, 1979, three members of the Mirhosseini family each
- 233 -
lent petitioner $80,000. He agreed to invest the total sum of
$240,000 in his operating companies and to provide the
Mirhosseini family with a 25-percent-per-year return on the
principal, payable quarterly, in advance. At approximately the
same period of time, petitioner borrowed other funds at interest
rates of 8 percent and 12 1/2 percent.
The parties stipulated that CTC's or petitioner's 1979 and
1980 journals reflected payments to the Mirhosseini family. This
stipulation was in error and is in conflict with the documentary
evidence of record. The disbursements journals do not reflect
the claimed interest payments to the Mirhosseini family for the
years 1979, 1980, and 1981. Stipulations contrary to the actual
facts disclosed by the record may be disregarded. Mead's Bakery,
Inc. v. Commissioner, 364 F.2d 101, 106 (5th Cir. 1966), revg.
T.C. Memo. 1964-104. Furthermore, the workpapers recapping 1980
interest expense are not sufficient documentation that payment
was made or that the amounts shown are interest. Thus,
petitioner has not substantiated any payments to the
Mirhosseinis. Moreover, he has not shown in which of his
operating companies the funds were invested. Therefore, we hold
that the amounts paid to the Mirhosseini family are not
deductible as interest expense.
The $30,000 and $45,000 of interest expenses claimed in 1980
and 1981 for payments to the J.J. Zand Trust are attributable to
- 234 -
loans made by trusts established for the benefit of petitioner's
three daughters. In 1977 petitioner established these six
trusts, two for each of his three daughters. The two trusts for
each daughter were in the amounts of $25,000 and $75,000. Each
of the trusts was for a term of 10 years and 1 day. The three
trustees were Priscilla Meier, petitioner's longtime employee,
and George Hairston and David Johnston, attorneys in the law firm
of George, Greek. The terms of the trust agreements placed
investment discretion solely in the hands of the three trustees
acting in unison and not separately.
In 1977 the trust funds were lent to CDC, a corporation in
which petitioner held a controlling interest. The loans were
repaid to the trusts. On February 5, 1980, the corpus of each
trust was lent to petitioner personally with a rate of return of
12 percent per annum. As security for the loans, petitioner gave
mortgages on his residence and condominium. He claimed interest
paid to the trusts in the amounts of $30,000 and $45,000 for the
years 1980 and 1981, respectively. At the end of the years 1980
and 1981, the loans had not been repaid. The funds in the trusts
were paid to petitioner personally or were invested in entities
that he controlled.
Respondent contends that the claimed interest deductions of
$30,000 for 1980 and $45,000 for 1981 should be disallowed
because petitioner should be treated as the "owner" of the
- 235 -
trusts' assets. It is asserted that petitioner has failed to
comply with the safe harbor provisions of section 675(3). To the
contrary, petitioner contends that the provisions of section
675(3) are met and that he is entitled to the claimed interest
deductions. We agree with petitioner.
Section 675(3) provides that the grantor shall be treated as
the owner of any portion of a trust in respect of which the
grantor has directly or indirectly borrowed the corpus or income
and has not completely repaid the loan, including the interest,
before the beginning of the taxable year. However, the section
also provides that this requirement does not apply to a loan
which provides for adequate interest and security and if the loan
is made by a trustee other than the grantor and other than a
related or subordinate trustee subservient to the grantor. Here
these three conditions are met: (1) The loans bore adequate
interest; (2) the loans were adequately secured; and (3) the
majority of the trustees (the two attorneys) were not related,
subordinate, or subservient to the grantor. Lawyers are not
proscribed by section 672(c) and thus may qualify as independent.
See Bittker & Lokken, Federal Taxation of Income, Estates and
Gifts, par. 80.1.4, at 18-19 (2d ed. 1991); 452-2nd T.M. Grantor
Trusts: Sections 671-679, A-14. See also Estate of Goodwyn v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1976-238. Moreover, even if section
675(3) did apply, its effect by its terms is to tax all or a
- 236 -
portion of the trust income to petitioner. It does not provide
for the disallowance of the interest expenses claimed by him.
Indeed, the net result to the grantor may be no increase in tax
because the trusts' interest income taxed to the grantor may be
offset by a deduction for interest on the loans. See Bittker &
Lokken, Federal Taxation of Income, Estates and Gifts, par. 80.7
at 64.
Respondent relies on Benson v. Commissioner, 76 T.C. 1040
(1981); Bixby v. Commissioner, 58 T.C. 757 (1972); and Bennett v.
Commissioner, 79 T.C. 470 (1982). Such reliance is misplaced.
Those cases are distinguishable. In Benson the loan was
unsecured, and the grantor's spouse was the sole trustee. In
Bixby the settlors were held not to be the true grantors for
purposes of the grantor trust rules. Rather, the subsequent
transferors were the actual grantors. There was no discussion of
section 675(3) in the Bixby case. In Bennett the grantors were
the trustees, and the loan was unsecured.
Accordingly, as reflected in our findings of fact, we hold
that the interest deductions claimed by petitioner in 1980 and
1981 as paid to the trusts on the secured loans are deductible.
- 237 -
I. Expenses for Insurance and Dues and Publications
Our findings of fact are dispositive of the expenses
disallowed by respondent for insurance and dues and publications.
It is not necessary to repeat them here.
J. Depreciation
For the years 1973 through 1980 respondent disallowed
depreciation expenses in the amounts of $560.90, $6,820.14,
$6,154.42, $10,902.44, $5,913, $13,652, $7,461, and $7,806.36,
respectively.
For the year 1981 respondent allowed depreciation in an
amount that is $2,494 greater than the amount claimed by
petitioner on his income tax return. Respondent's adjustments to
depreciation take into account items that petitioner expensed on
his income tax returns but that respondent determined were
capital expenditures subject to depreciation.
For the years 1973 and 1976 petitioner offered no evidence
to refute respondent's adjustments to the depreciation claimed.
Therefore, respondent's adjustments are sustained.
For the years 1974 and 1975 respondent disallowed
depreciation claimed on petitioner's apartment in Kitzbuhel,
Austria. Petitioner contends that the apartment was purchased as
a place to stay while in Europe in lieu of hotels. He transacted
business from the apartment, including meeting business
associates and making business-related telephone calls. He, his
- 238 -
family, and his friends also used the Kitzbuhel apartment for
personal vacations. Petitioner engaged in skiing in Kitzbuhel
and received skiing lessons there. All of his daughters, his
son-in-law, and his wife used the Kitzbuhel apartment for
personal vacations. Petitioner was known to spend Christmas
vacation in Kitzbuhel skiing. He allowed many of his friends to
use the Kitzbuhel apartment for personal vacations.
Although petitioner may have conducted some business while
in Kitzbuhel, there is evidence that his apartment was used
extensively for personal vacations by him, his family, and his
friends. Furthermore, he failed to keep a record of the number
of days of business use as compared to the number of days of
personal use of the Kitzbuhel apartment. Moreover, he failed to
show that any business activities carried on while in Kitzbuhel
were not incidental to personal vacations. Petitioner has failed
to establish that he is entitled to the claimed depreciation with
respect to the Kitzbuhel apartment.
For the years 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980
respondent disallowed the depreciation expenses claimed by
petitioner on various automobiles. The automobiles consisted of
cars driven by him and those provided to employees of CTC or CDC.
Neither petitioner nor the employees maintained any records to
differentiate between business and personal use of the
automobiles. He and the employees admitted that the cars were
- 239 -
used for personal purposes, and they made only general comments
that the cars were used mostly for business.
Additionally, in 1976 petitioner formed CDC. His son-in-
law, Mr. Dinunzio, was employed by CDC and its various
subsidiaries. Mr. Dinunzio also worked on McZand Corporation
projects. He used the automobile provided by petitioner in his
employment for McZand Corporation and CDC and its subsidiaries.
Mr. Dutton was also provided with a car by petitioner, as were
Clem and Priscilla Meier. Each of these individuals used the
cars provided by petitioner in their employment with CDC,
subsidiaries of CDC, or partnerships in which CDC was a partner.
We conclude that petitioner failed to present sufficient
evidence to prove that he is entitled to depreciation on the
automobiles he purchased for his use and the use of others. No
records were maintained to show the business use of the
automobiles. There is also little evidence of petitioner's
business activities in and around the Columbus, Ohio, area. His
clients and customers were spread throughout the United States.
He claimed and was allowed significant amounts for travel
expenses in meeting with those clients. In addition, for the
years 1977 through 1980 the use of the automobiles by Mr.
Dinunzio, Mr. Dutton, and the Meiers was related to the
activities of McZand Corporation or CDC. Thus, any automobile
use on behalf of those entities would not constitute an ordinary
- 240 -
and necessary business expense of petitioner. Accordingly, we
sustain respondent's determination on this issue.
K. Rental Loss and London Rent Expense
Again, our findings of fact are dispositive of respondent's
decreased rental loss of $35,228.13 claimed by petitioner for
1975, and the disallowance of $10,000 in 1976 for the rental of
the Khalatbaris' apartment in London. We sustain respondent's
determinations.
L. Loan Origination Fee
For the year 1978 respondent disallowed a deduction in the
amount of $7,000 paid as a loan origination fee. On May 25,
1978, petitioner paid W. Lyman Case and Company $7,000 as a loan
origination fee for the purchase of the Madison County Farm. The
Madison County Farm was not petitioner's personal residence.
Instead, it was a farm owned by CDC. Section 461(g) generally
requires that loan origination fees be charged to the capital
account and recovered over the period to which they are so
allocable. However, a loan origination fee is currently
deductible only if the loan is for the purchase of the taxpayer's
principal residence. Sec. 461(g)(2). Because the farm was owned
by CDC, rather than by petitioner, the deduction of the loan
origination fee is disallowed.
- 241 -
M. Moving Expense and Investment Tax Credits
As to these two issues, our findings of fact are
dispositive. The claimed moving expense deduction for 1979 was
for Mr. Dutton, an employee of CDC. It was not petitioner's
ordinary and necessary business expense. The investment tax
credits for 1976, 1978, and 1979 were disallowed by respondent,
and petitioner presented no evidence with respect to them.
Therefore, respondent's determinations are sustained.
N. Travel and Entertainment Expenses
A major area of deductions for which payment is disputed is
travel and entertainment. Petitioner claimed enormous and
inflated expenses for travel and entertainment, as shown in our
findings of fact, for the years 1973 through 1981. Respondent
allowed sizable amounts for the years 1973 through 1976, and also
disallowed substantial amounts for those years. All amounts
claimed for the years 1977 through 1981 were disallowed by
respondent.
For the travel and entertainment expenses, not only is the
fact of actual payment in question, but also whether claimed
expenses were ordinary and necessary, whether they were incurred
by petitioner as a sole proprietor, or whether they were the
expenses of Diesel Power or, for later years in issue, a myriad
of other corporate entities with which petitioner was involved.
Also at issue is whether the substantiation requirements of
- 242 -
section 274 have been met. Some of the disputed expenses involve
estimated cash expenditures, expenses relating to apartments in
the ski village of Kitzbuhel, Austria, and in London, England,
and reimbursements made to Diesel Power.
Section 162(a) permits a taxpayer to deduct "ordinary and
necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in
carrying on any trade or business," including travel and
entertainment expenses. However, even "ordinary and necessary"
expenses must have been incurred on behalf of the taxpayer's
business, not on behalf of another taxpayer's business. Deputy
v. DuPont, 308 U.S. 488 (1940).
Thus, petitioner must first show that his claimed travel and
entertainment expenses were ordinary and necessary and, if so,
petitioner must also show that the expenses were incurred in
furtherance of CTC's business rather than the business of another
taxpayer. Dietrick v. Commissioner, 881 F.2d 336, 339 (6th Cir.
1989), affg. T.C. Memo. 1988-180.
From 1972 through 1977 petitioner owned and operated CTC as
a sole proprietorship. He was also a shareholder (100 percent
until late 1974) as well as a director and chairman of Diesel
Power. During all or part of the earlier years, he was also
involved in various other entities, including WHIP, All Patents,
and IGOS.
Beginning in 1975, and for the remaining years, the
characterization of expenses becomes even more difficult. By
1975 Diesel Power and CTC's business relationship was winding
- 243 -
down; the distributor agreements with the various U.S.
manufacturers were terminated; and in December 1977 petitioner
divested himself of any interest in Diesel Power.
Between 1976 and 1981, however, he became involved in
various closely held corporations and partnerships for real
estate development and farming operations. He formed CDC, which
filed corporate tax returns with its consolidated subsidiaries
including Caspian Electric Company, Caspian Farm Systems, Caspian
Machinery Company, and Charleston, Inc. CDC was generally in the
business of real estate and real estate development and
management. CDC owned 70 percent of Green Prairie, a partnership
consisting of an Alabama farming operation; a second partnership,
Franklin Green, owned a house on the Alabama farm; a third
partnership, the Bowling Green partnership, owned the farm-land.
Petitioner, directly or indirectly (in conjunction with CDC),
owned over 50 percent of these three partnerships. Petitioner
was also a shareholder in the following additional entities:
McZand Corporation, a subchapter S corporation, which held real
estate in the Columbus, Ohio, area; and Homestead Development and
Southern Florida Real Estate, both of which were involved in real
estate development and investment in Florida. By 1978 CTC
employees had become employees of CDC, and although CTC continued
as a Schedule C business, it is unclear on this record exactly
what business CTC engaged in after 1977.
- 244 -
No attempt has been made to show that claimed travel and
entertainment expenses in any amounts greater than those allowed
by respondent were ordinary and necessary or were expended in
furtherance of CTC's business, rather than in furtherance of
Diesel Power's business or the business of other entities in
which petitioner was involved. Instead, petitioner ignores the
existence of any other entities on whose behalf he conducted
business and merely concludes that an expense was CTC related if
it was treated that way on CTC's books or by his tax return
preparers. None of petitioner's bookkeepers or return preparers
testified that they were present when any expense was incurred;
rather, petitioner simply directed how an expense was to be
treated on CTC's books. Accordingly, their testimony does
nothing to substantiate the business nature of travel and
entertainment amounts reflected on either CTC's books or
petitioner's tax returns. See Anderson v. Commissioner, T.C.
Memo. 1976-28 (testimony of bookkeeper who was not present when
expenses were incurred could not substantiate nature of claimed
travel and entertainment expenses).
In addition to the requirements that expenses be ordinary
and necessary as well as in furtherance of taxpayer's business,
section 274(d) imposes stringent substantiation criteria.
Section 274(d) prohibits a deduction for travel and entertainment
expenses unless the taxpayer substantiates by adequate records or
- 245 -
by sufficient evidence, corroborating the taxpayer's own
statement: (1) The amount of the expense; (2) the time and place
of the travel or entertainment; (3) the business purpose of the
expense; and (4) the business relationship of the taxpayer to the
persons entertained. These four elements must be established for
each separate expenditure. Sec. 1.274-5(c)(1), Income Tax Regs.;
Dowell v. United States, 522 F.2d 708, 714 (5th Cir. 1975).
A taxpayer satisfies the substantiation requirements of
section 274(d) by meeting the adequate records test or through
substantiation by other sufficient evidence. Sec. 1.274-5(c)(1),
Income Tax Regs. Proof by "adequate records" requires the
taxpayer to maintain a contemporaneous account book, diary,
statement of expense, or similar record and documentary evidence
which, in combination, "are sufficient to establish each element
of an expenditure". Sec. 1.274-5(c)(2), Income Tax Regs. In
addition to an account book or diary, substantiation by adequate
records requires additional documentary evidence for expenditures
of $25 or more, except for transportation charges, if
documentation for such charges is not readily available. Sec.
1.274-5(c)(2)(iii)(b), Income Tax Regs. Acceptable documentary
evidence includes receipts, paid bills, or other similar evidence
which establish the amount, date, place, and essential character
of the expenditure. Sec. 1.274-5(c)(2)(iii), Income Tax Regs.
Failure to produce adequate documentary evidence results in
- 246 -
disallowance of travel and entertainment deductions. Sanford v.
Commissioner, 50 T.C. 823, 828 (1968), affd. per curiam 412 F.2d
201 (2d Cir. 1969).
In our view petitioner's travel diaries do not meet the
substantiation requirements necessary for purposes of section
274. The diaries do not reflect the business purpose of the
meeting, entertainment or expense, the location where the
entertainment took place, or the business relationship of the
person entertained. Instead, the diaries contain a hodgepodge of
cities, names of persons and, in some instances, an amount
allegedly paid for hotel bills, dinners and entertainment,
transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.
Some meetings, entertainment, and expenses reflected in the
diaries are clearly personal. For example, the diaries include
expenditures for luggage and clothes and reflect meetings and
entertainment in Rome, Beirut, London, and Paris with Murat Seker
of Ingersoll-Rand in January, February, and April 1973, April and
August 1975, March and May 1976, and April 1977. Both petitioner
and Mr. Seker testified that they had no business relationship in
the 1970's. Moreover, the diaries reflect expenses for dinners
and entertainment of entire families or unnamed associates. In
many instances the individuals whose names appear in the diaries
were involved not only with CTC, but also with Diesel Power,
WHIP, All Patents, IGOS in the earlier years, and McZand
- 247 -
Corporation, CDC, and various Florida real estate projects
involving other corporate entities in the later years. The more
frequently named individuals who fall into this category include
Mr. and Mrs. Khalatbari, Dr. Fallah, Olin Atkins, Hossein
Zanganeh, and Bill McCabe, as well as representatives of various
U.S. manufacturers who dealt with both Diesel Power and CTC.
Petitioner acknowledged that the diaries only generally
reflect his travel and entertainment expenses. The diaries do
not reflect sundry travel expenses or minimal amounts. Most of
the expenditures reflected in the diaries are for amounts in
excess of $25; many of the expenses shown for hotel bills,
dinners, and entertaining are for hundreds of dollars, with no
supporting documentation as to either the amount or the business
purpose.
Alternatively, the substantiation requirements of section
274(d) can be satisfied by a taxpayer's oral or written statement
supported by "other corroborative evidence". Other corroborative
evidence can take two forms: (1) Oral or written testimony of
third persons with actual knowledge of the expenditures or (2)
documentary evidence subject to the same requirements imposed
under the "adequate records" test. Sec. 1.274-5(c)(3), Income
Tax Regs. In our opinion petitioner has not complied with this
alternative substantiation method. Several persons named in his
diaries did testify at trial, but none corroborated any meeting
- 248 -
or expenditure claimed in the diaries. In fact, the testimony of
Murat Seker and petitioner himself directly contradicts entries
in his diaries.
The unsupported testimony of a taxpayer at trial is not
sufficient to meet the stringent substantiation requirements of
section 274(d). To adequately substantiate the deductibility of
travel and entertainment expenses, specificity is imperative.
Dowell v. United States, supra at 714; Hatch v. Commissioner,
T.C. Memo. 1980-110; Gras v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1974-230.
Petitioner attempts to surmount this specificity requirement
by contending in his brief that this case does not involve a
shoebox full of receipts, and that the sheer number of exhibits,
the length of trial, the mass of petitioner's brief, and
petitioner's selective testimony prove his entitlement to the
claimed travel and entertainment expenses. We reject his
contention. This same argument was rejected in Dowell v. United
States, 522 F.2d at 708, where the Court of Appeals for the Fifth
Circuit reversed the District Court's finding that the "blizzard"
of bills and chits established the amounts, dates, and places of
expenditures necessary to substantiate the taxpayer's claimed
travel and entertainment expenses. As recognized by the Court of
Appeals in Dowell, such an approach is contrary to the stringent
substantiation requirements imposed by section 274(d). Id. at
714.
- 249 -
The only years for which petitioner specifically testified
as to receipts, invoices, or underlying documents relating to
claimed expenses were 1977, 1978, and 1979. However, for the
years 1978 and 1979, as well as 1980 and 1981, his exhibits
containing checks, receipts, or other underlying documents were
not received in evidence. Furthermore, his testimony with
respect to his travel in those years can best be described as
vague with respect to both business purpose and the business
relationship of the persons with whom he allegedly met. It
appears that his testimony confirms that the majority of his
travel in those years related to the business of Diesel Power,
IGOS, CDC and its various subsidiaries and partnerships, real
estate development projects in Florida (Homestead Development and
Southern Florida Real Estate), the exploration of new business
opportunities, startup expenses related to new ventures, and the
sale and subsequent arbitration and litigation with Mr.
Khalatbari regarding his Diesel Power stock. Moreover, while
receipts, invoices and other documents for 1977 are in evidence,
they establish no more than the fact of payment; these documents
do not establish the elements necessary to corroborate
petitioner's testimony for purposes of substantiating his
entitlement to the deductions under section 274.
As part of his travel and entertainment expenses, petitioner
claimed cash expenses that are not reflected as part of travel
- 250 -
and entertainment on CTC's disbursements journals.
Significantly, the cash expenses claimed on the returns cannot be
reconciled with the diaries and are in substantially greater
amounts than the expenses recorded in the diaries. For the years
1973 through 1976 the amounts of the cash expenses claimed were
estimates that the return preparer, Mr. Giffin, derived from the
number of checks that petitioner wrote to cash and the number of
days that he was out of the country, based on his diaries. No
evidence was presented concerning any specific cash expenditures
from 1973 through 1976. Moreover, estimated expenses for travel
and entertainment expenses are not allowable because section 274
expressly overrides the Cohan rule, Cohan v. Commissioner, 39
F.2d 540 (2d Cir. 1930); see Sanford v. Commissioner, 50 T.C. at
827.
For the years 1977 through 1981 it is unclear how the cash
expenses were determined. Aside from testimony that the return
preparers reviewed the cash expenses claimed on the returns,
there is no evidence of business purpose or that any cash
expenses claimed in 1977 through 1981 were incurred for CTC's
business. Nor, as noted previously, is any check, receipt or
document underlying the cash expenses claimed in 1978 through
1981 in evidence.28 For 1977 the workpapers show only a list of
28
In this regard, the Court in its order dated Oct. 9, 1992,
specifically stated that Exhs. 3195 through 3215, which include documentation
for claimed travel and entertainment expenses in 1978 through 1981, would not
be received in evidence.
- 251 -
amounts that add up to the $17,380 in cash expenses claimed on
the 1977 tax return. It appears that alleged cash expenses
included on the 1978 through 1981 returns include payments to
petitioner's housekeeper, payments for cablevision, payments to a
CDC employee, American Express and VISA payments, payments to
Ohio State University, payments to the Port Royal Club and the
Columbus Country Club, a number of payments for flowers and
gifts, at least $12,500 in checks to "cash" or "J.J. Zand" and a
$5,000 wire transfer to Austria near the Christmas holidays.
However, no cash expenses claimed for 1978 through 1981 have been
reconciled with petitioner's tax returns for those years, and no
business purpose for any claimed cash expenditures in those years
has been disclosed on the record.
In 1974, 1975, and 1976 petitioner claimed, either
separately or as part of his travel and entertainment, various
expenses attributable to his apartment in Kitzbuhel, Austria. He
and his family used Kitzbuhel personally for Christmas skiing
vacations, and CTC employees considered Kitzbuhel as petitioner's
personal rather than business location.
In 1975 and 1976 petitioner included $10,000 and $5,000 in
expenses for Kitzbuhel as part of his claimed travel and
entertainment expenses. Neither the fact of payment nor the
business purpose for any expense attributable to Kitzbuhel has
been proven. All of the expenses claimed for Kitzbuhel were
- 252 -
included on the returns without the benefit of supporting records
or documentation. Rather, in support of the Kitzbuhel expenses,
petitioner relies on telephone calls and meetings ascribed to
Kitzbuhel in his diaries. While the diaries reflect telephone
calls and meetings at Kitzbuhel, they also reflect visits by
family members and the fact that petitioner went to Kitzbuhel to
rest. His 1974 diary shows that petitioner was in Kitzbuhel for
55 days, 9 of which were for rest, and that his daughters,
housekeeper, and girlfriend were in Kitzbuhel for 42 days.
In 1975 petitioner also claimed travel and entertainment
expenses for a London apartment in the amount of $15,000. The
return preparer did not question petitioner or see any underlying
documentation regarding this claim. He simply took petitioner's
word for the $15,000 expense. The workpapers for 1975 show that
$5,000 of the total expenses claimed for the London apartment was
for a car and chauffeur. However, no documentation underlying
the $15,000 in expenses claimed for the London apartment has been
provided. Furthermore, the amount claimed is contrary to
petitioner's testimony that he paid Mr. Khalatbari a flat sum of
$10,000 for the use of his London apartment, including the maid,
car and chauffeur.
Finally, petitioner claims that part of the total travel and
entertainment expenses claimed in 1974 is a $27,618.39 payment to
Diesel Power that was allegedly paid to reimburse it for payment
- 253 -
of petitioner's hotel expenses in that year. The only evidence
to support the business purpose for this payment is petitioner's
testimony that Diesel Power paid his hotel expenses in all but 1
year, and notations on CTC's 1974 disbursements journal and
workpapers. Moreover, there is no breakdown of this total amount
by date or place, nor is there evidence establishing that any
portion of the payment was incurred for a business purpose of
CTC, rather than of Diesel Power. In these circumstances, we
hold that the $27,618.39 payment is not a deductible expense.
In his brief petitioner makes no legitimate argument in
support of his claimed travel and entertainment expenses. He
merely asserts that the respondent's disallowance of the expenses
was arbitrary because respondent allowed the amounts set forth on
CTC's journals in 1974 and 1976, but subsequently took a
"shotgun" approach, disallowing one-half of the amounts on CTC's
journals in 1975 and completely disallowing the amounts reflected
on the journals for the years 1977 through 1981. Contrary to
petitioner's claim, CTC's 1975 disbursements journal shows travel
and entertainment expenses of $108,446.48. However, on his 1975
return petitioner claimed a deduction in the total amount of
$157,946.48. For 1975 respondent allowed him $80,631.47 or
approximately 75 percent of the amount reflected on CTC's
journals. For the years 1977 through 1981 petitioner was
involved in a myriad of other entities in addition to CTC, his
- 254 -
sole proprietorship. Although he continued to utilize CTC for
bookkeeping purposes, petitioner has not shown that any expenses
reflected in CTC's books bear any relationship to CTC's business.
Indeed, it is unclear in what, if any, business CTC engaged
during the years from 1978 through 1981.
It is established law that deductions are a matter of
legislative grace and the taxpayer must meet the specific
statutory requirements for any deduction claimed. Welch v.
Helvering, 290 U.S. at 115; New Colonial Ice Co. v. Helvering,
292 U.S. at 440. It was petitioner's burden to prove his
entitlement to the deductions at issue. Based on this record, we
hold that petitioner failed to prove that he is entitled to any
travel and entertainment expense deductions for the years in
issue other than those allowed by respondent.
VII. Issue 11--Dependency Exemption and Charitable Contribution
Deductions
A. Dependency Exemption
Respondent disallowed dependency exemption deductions for
Tara Daneshvari claimed by petitioner for 1973 and 1974. Tara
was the daughter of petitioner's Iranian friends who lived in
Columbus, Ohio. The issue is whether Tara qualified as
petitioner's dependent during those years.
Section 151(a) and (c) allows a taxpayer, subject to certain
requirements, a deduction for personal exemptions for each of his
dependents as defined in section 152. Pursuant to section
- 255 -
152(b)(3), an individual, other than a child of the taxpayer, who
is not a citizen or national of the United States is excluded
from the definition of the term "dependent" unless the person is
a resident of the United States or of a country contiguous to the
United States.
Section 1.871-2(b), Income Tax Regs., contains guidelines
for determining the residence of alien individuals and provides
that an alien whose stay in the United States is limited to a
definite period by immigration laws normally is not considered a
resident. Section 1.871-4, Income Tax Regs., further contains a
presumption that aliens are nonresidents unless they have filed
declarations of their intention to become citizens, have filed a
Form 1078 or its equivalent, or have taken certain actions to
acquire residency. There is no evidence in the record as to
whether Tara was a resident of the United States within the
meaning of section 152(b)(3). The only evidence is that she was
an adopted daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Daneshvari.
There was apparently some concern by her legally adoptive
parents that Tara would be sent back to Iran, thus indicating
that she was not a U.S. citizen or had not taken any other
actions required to establish residency. See Camilo v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1993-249. We note that petitioner does
not claim that Tara is a U.S. citizen, but instead relies upon
the fact that she lived in the United States as the basis for
- 256 -
allowing the exemption. That is insufficient absent proof that
she was a resident of the United States (or of a contiguous
country). Accordingly, the dependency exemption deductions
claimed for both years are not allowed.
B. Deduction for Charitable Contribution to City of Columbus
On Schedule A of his 1976 income tax return, petitioner
claimed a deduction for a charitable contribution of $51,662.62
to the City of Columbus for a house that had been situated on the
lot he purchased in 1975 at 3404 Riverside Drive, Columbus, Ohio,
adjacent to CTC's office building. The house had been rented,
but petitioner decided to give it to the city by moving it across
the road on the other side of the river where it would be used as
a public place. He also gave the city $13,000 for the expense of
moving the house to the park. On December 20, 1976, the City of
Columbus passed an ordinance accepting petitioner's donation of
the single-family stucco house located at 3404 Riverside Drive
and the $13,000 paid to the city as a donation for moving the
house.
The claimed charitable deduction was disallowed by
respondent on the ground that the house was acquired with the
intention to remove or demolish it when it was acquired, and,
consequently, the cost should be considered land acquisition
cost, with the house having no fair market value at the time of
the transfer. Where property is purchased with the intent of
- 257 -
demolishing an existing building, either immediately or
subsequently, the entire basis of the property is allocated to
the land, increased by the net cost of demolition, and no loss is
allowed for the demolition of the building. Sec. 1.165-3(a)(1),
Income Tax Regs.; Estate of Wilson v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo.
1990-514, and cases cited therein. The rationale for this is
that if a taxpayer buys property with the intention of
demolishing a building, the building can have no value to the
taxpayer and its demolition causes the taxpayer no loss. Ivey v.
Commissioner, 423 F.2d 862, 864 (2d Cir. 1970), affg. 52 T.C. 76
(1969).
Section 170(c) permits a deduction for a charitable
contribution to a State or political subdivision thereof,
provided the gift is made for exclusively public purposes.
Osborne v. Commissioner, 87 T.C. 575 (1986). However, the
measure of a charitable contribution of property is the fair
market value of such property. Withers v. Commissioner, 69 T.C.
900, 902 (1978).
We reject respondent's contention that petitioner intended
to demolish the house when he purchased it some 14 months before
he gave it to the City of Columbus, Department of Recreation and
Parks. The provisions of section 1.165-3, Income Tax Regs., are
inapplicable in these circumstances for two reasons. First, the
regulation applies only if the purchaser has the intent to
- 258 -
demolish the building at the time it is purchased. The record
shows that petitioner had no such intention. An intent formed
after the acquisition does not suffice. Panhandle State Bank v.
Commissioner, 39 T.C. 813, 816 (1963). The second reason is that
the house was not demolished, but was removed to a park and
apparently is still being used.
Respondent also contends that petitioner, having claimed the
book value ($38,662.62) of the house on his return, did not
establish its fair market value when he donated it to the city.
We disagree. We have found in these circumstances that the house
had a fair market value of $27,333.41, which represents the cost
allocated by petitioner to the house for depreciation purposes in
1975. We regard this amount as being equivalent to its fair
market value. Consequently, we hold that petitioner is entitled
to a charitable contribution deduction of $40,333.41 ($27,333.41
plus $13,000) in 1976.
C. Deduction for Charitable Contribution to Kenyon College
On the 1979 income tax return petitioner claimed a
charitable contribution deduction of $657,000 that pertained to
real estate given by him to Kenyon College in honor of his friend
Bill McCabe, who was dying of cancer. The claimed deduction was
reduced to zero by respondent in the notice of deficiency on the
ground that petitioner realized ordinary income from the
transaction.
- 259 -
Section 170(e)(1)(A) provides that deductions for claimed
charitable contributions are required to be reduced by the
ordinary income or short-term capital gain that would have been
realized if the property had been sold at its fair market value
on the date of contribution. Simply stated, a taxpayer's
allowable deduction is limited by his basis in such property. As
set forth in our findings of fact, the transaction at issue is
the December 1979 donation of real estate to Kenyon College with
a net value, after encumbrances, of $657,000. Petitioner owned
the properties donated to Kenyon College in 1979 for, at most,
one day, because the properties were transferred to him by deeds
from McZand, his wholly owned corporation, immediately before he
transferred the properties to Kenyon College. The narrow dispute
between the parties on this issue is whether these properties,
had they been sold by petitioner at fair market value, would have
produced any short-term capital gain or ordinary income, which
would have reduced petitioner's allowable amount for the
charitable contribution deduction.
Petitioner's main contention is that the property was given
to him in satisfaction of loans he purportedly made to the McZand
Corporation. He argues that he had a basis in the donated realty
equal to the loan notes of approximately $669,000 which exceeded
the net fair market value ($657,000) of the property after taking
into account the debt on the property. Thus, petitioner contends
- 260 -
that there was no ordinary income or short-term gain to be
recognized upon his contribution to Kenyon College because his
basis exceeded fair market value.
To the contrary, respondent takes the position that the
purported loans by petitioner to McZand Corporation were actually
contributions by petitioner to McZand's capital. Thus, it is
argued, because the claimed debt was capital and petitioner owned
100 percent of McZand stock both before and after the
contribution, there was no consideration paid by petitioner for
receipt of the donated property. As set forth in Segel v.
Commissioner, 89 T.C. 816 (1987), when determining whether
shareholder advances are debt or equity, cases have generally
relied on various factors which include the common identity
between the shareholders and the putative creditors, the
extensive participation in management by such creditors, the
corporate ability to borrow from a commercial or nonrelated
source at similar rates, terms and other conditions, the thinness
of the capital structure of the corporation, and the relative
position of the putative creditors to other creditors. See
Estate of Mixon v. United States, 464 F.2d 394, 402 (5th Cir.
1972).
Here there was a 100-percent identity between shareholders
and putative creditors. Prior to October 1979 McZand stock was
owned 50 percent by the Zand family and 50 percent by the McCabe
- 261 -
family. During this same period the claimed "debt" owed to each
family also remained exactly even. Petitioner and McCabe also
participated extensively in McZand management. They both had
positions as officers and/or directors of McZand, and CTC kept
the books and records for McZand.
In addition, the shareholder advances were under very
different terms than commercial lending. While there were
"notes" executed for at least some of the claimed debt, such
notes bore a stated interest rate of 6 percent and were not
secured. During the same period of time, commercial institutions
were lending funds to McZand Corporation at a rate in excess of 8
percent with such obligations secured by mortgages on the
underlying real estate. Also, interest on the claimed
Zand/McCabe "debt" was not paid but was allowed to accrue over
several years.
Finally, McZand Corporation was thinly capitalized with only
$500 in stock and little retained earnings. As of the close of
the tax year 1977, after taking into account the purported debt
from McCabe to petitioner, the debt-equity ratio was
approximately 25 to 1 with debts exceeding $725,000 and equity at
approximately $30,000. At the close of McZand's 1978 tax year,
the ratio had increased to 35 to 1 with debt in excess of $3
million and potential equity at approximately $85,000. This very
thin capitalization is further reflected by the fact that
- 262 -
petitioner's accountant, Mr. Dutton, recognized in a memorandum
to the file in September 1977 that the advances by McCabe and
petitioner were contributions to capital and that further
contributions would be needed.
All of the objective indications are that the advances by
petitioner and McCabe were made under terms and conditions that a
commercial lender would not grant, were subordinated to such
commercial debt, and were in exact ratio to stockholdings. We
think such advances are properly characterized as contributions
to capital and not debt. When petitioner fleetingly received the
title to the properties before signing them over to Kenyon
College, he did not include the properties in his income as a
dividend or otherwise treat his receipt of the properties as an
occasion for recognizing gain. Therefore, he had no basis in
such properties. Having a zero basis in the realty, petitioner
would have had at least $657,000 of short-term gain if the realty
had been sold. Thus, his $657,000 contribution is reduced to
zero.
Accordingly, we conclude that the charitable contribution
limitations of section 170(e)(1) apply to reduce petitioner's
allowable charitable deduction to Kenyon College to zero.
VIII. Issue 12--Losses From Trusts, Partnerships, Subchapter S
Corporation, and Farming Operations
For the years 1979 and 1980 petitioner claimed losses on his
tax returns attributable to the Bowling Green partnership of
- 263 -
$12,768 and $19,073, and for the Franklin Green partnership of
$3,596 and $4,140. In an amended return, he claimed an
additional 1979 partnership loss of $23,709. The only evidence
relied upon to support the Bowling Green and Franklin Green
claimed losses are the partnership agreements, testimony that
petitioner was a partner, testimony that he made unidentified
amounts of capital contributions, the partnership tax returns,
and tax trial balance workpapers. Reliance on partnership
returns to establish basis in a partnership or to establish a
loss generally is insufficient to prove the claimed losses.
Patterson v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1984-58.
In addition, the claimed losses were disallowed in the
notice of deficiency on the ground that petitioner had not met
the at-risk rules of section 465. The 1979 Bowling Green
partnership return reflects over $448,000 of debt as nonrecourse.
No contrary showing has been made by petitioner.
Finally, the only evidence for the additional 1979 loss
claimed on the amended return is the return itself and the return
preparer's vague statement, which petitioner mischaracterizes.
Contrary to petitioner's assertion that Mr. Dutton calculated
basis and other items, Mr. Dutton had no recollection as to what
the loss was attributable to. The tax returns are insufficient
to prove the underlying claimed loss. The disallowance of the
- 264 -
partnership losses, including the one claimed on the amended 1979
return, is sustained.
In addition to claimed partnership losses, petitioner
claimed losses in 1979 and 1980 for McZand, a subchapter S
corporation, of $11,997 and $39,147, respectively. Respondent
disallowed these losses. Also disallowed were claimed 1979
losses for Southern Florida Real Estate Sales ($3,228), Admiralty
Point Trust ($2,933), Homestead Development Corporation ($1,889),
and Danny's Hideaway ($5,771). For each of these entities, other
than McZand, the only evidence in the record consists of tax
returns for some of the entities and the general testimonial
statements that losses were incurred. No primary records
establishing actual loss were presented. Therefore, petitioner
has failed to meet his burden of proof.
Further, with respect to McZand and Danny's Hideaway, there
is affirmative evidence that the reported tax treatment was
incorrect. In 1979 McZand purported to sell real estate to
petitioner at a gain; however, McZand failed to include that gain
in income. For Danny's Hideaway, petitioner claimed a loss from
the disposition of all his stock in 1979; yet petitioner claimed
an unexplained additional loss in 1980 when he was no longer a
shareholder. In view of the lack of evidence to support the
claimed losses and the affirmative indications that these losses
- 265 -
were incorrectly calculated, such partnership, trust, and
subchapter S losses are not allowable.
The only evidence in the record to support the deductions
claimed for the farm losses or expenses are petitioner's 1979 and
1980 returns and the general statements by Mr. Dutton, the return
preparer, that the farm showed a loss. We regard such evidence
as insufficient to sustain petitioner's burden of proof.
Moreover, one of petitioner's employees testified that the
records for the farm were included in the corporate records of
CDC through its subsidiary Caspian Farms. This is an indication
that the farm expenses were paid by CDC, and not by petitioner.
Because petitioner has failed to meet his burden of proving the
amounts of expenses or losses incurred or that they were his
expenses or losses, we hold that he is not entitled to the 1979
farm loss of $128,458 and the 1980 farm expenses of $249,204.
IX. Issue 13--Section 6653(b) Additions to Tax for Fraud
In the notice of deficiency covering the years 1972 through
1976 respondent determined additions to tax for fraud pursuant to
the provisions of section 6653(b) with respect to petitioner. In
an amendment to the answer filed herein, respondent asserted
increased additions to tax under section 6653(b) for the years
1973 through 1976. Section 6653(b), applicable for the years in
issue, provides that if any part of any underpayment of tax
required to be shown on a return is due to fraud, there shall be
- 266 -
added to the tax on amount equal to 50 percent of the
underpayment. Thus, for the years 1972 through 1976, respondent
need only prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that some part
of each year's underpayment is due to fraud. If that burden is
met, then the addition to tax is calculated on the entire
underpayment for each year.
Petitioner relies upon, and we are well aware of, comments
that were made by Judge Whitaker at the conclusion of the trial
when the method and schedule for filing briefs were addressed.
Judge Whitaker stated that it was his "recollection of the
testimony, and this is not a decision on my part" that
petitioners' counsel "made a very strong case". With reference
to the fraud issue, the following colloquy occurred:
MS. HERBERT: Your Honor, you know we do still
have the affirmative allegation of fraud for a number
of the years.
THE COURT: I understand that. And if I were you,
I wouldn't waste a whole lot of time on that argument.
I don't think this is a fraud case, frankly.
* * * * * * *
THE COURT: You're perfectly -- obviously, you can
argue it. You should argue it. But point out those
parts of the record which you think support fraud,
because I have some trouble with it. I don't think
this ought to have been a fraud case to start with.
- 267 -
This tentative and qualified reaction by the trial Judge was made
before a review of all the testimony and massive documentary
evidence and before any briefs were filed.29
We are not bound by the comments made by the trial Judge
about the fraud issue. They were of a preliminary or tentative
nature, and were not embodied in a ruling. In our view the
totality of the clear and convincing evidence contained in this
record establishes that petitioner's underpayment of tax for each
of the years 1972 through 1976 was due to fraud with intent to
evade tax. In the trial Judge's qualified reaction there was no
analysis of the indicia of fraud present in this record. By
contrast, our conclusion regarding the section 6653(b) additions
to tax is based on consideration of the indicia of fraud
discussed below.
The addition to tax in the case of fraud is a civil sanction
provided primarily as a safeguard for the protection of the
revenue and to reimburse the Government for the heavy expense of
investigation and the loss resulting from the taxpayer's fraud.
Helvering v. Mitchell, 303 U.S. 391, 401 (1938). The
Commissioner bears the burden of proof with respect to the
additions to tax for fraud, and that burden must be carried by
29
Compare North American Rayon Corp. v. Commissioner, 12 F.3d 583, 586
& n. 4 (6th Cir. 1993), affg. T.C. Memo. 1992-610, where the trial Judge wrote
a letter to counsel indicating that the Court was inclined to rule in favor of
the taxpayer, but in a subsequent opinion decided against the taxpayer. The
Court of Appeals affirmed the decision. See also Milbrew, Inc. v.
Commissioner, 710 F.2d 1302, 1308 (7th Cir. 1983), affg. T.C. Memo. 1981-610.
- 268 -
clear and convincing evidence. Sec. 7454(a); Rule 142(b); Rowlee
v. Commissioner, 80 T.C. 1111, 1123 (1983). This burden is met
if it is shown that the taxpayer intended to evade taxes known to
be owing by conduct intended to conceal, mislead, or otherwise
prevent the collection of such taxes. Stoltzfus v. United
States, 398 F.2d 1002, 1004 (3d Cir. 1968).
The existence of fraud is a question of fact to be resolved
upon consideration of the entire record. Gajewski v.
Commissioner, 67 T.C. 181, 199 (1976), affd. without published
opinion 578 F.2d 1383 (8th Cir. 1978). Fraud is not presumed or
imputed; it must be established by independent evidence that
establishes a fraudulent intent on the taxpayer's part. Otsuki
v. Commissioner, 53 T.C. 96, 106 (1969). Because direct proof of
a taxpayer's intent is rarely available, fraud may be proved by
circumstantial evidence, and reasonable inferences may be drawn
from the relevant facts. Spies v. United States, 317 U.S. 492,
499 (1943); Stephenson v. Commissioner, 79 T.C. 995, 1006 (1982),
affd. 748 F.2d 331 (6th Cir. 1984). For example, an intent to
conceal or mislead may be inferred from a pattern of conduct,
Spies v. United States, supra at 499, or from a taxpayer's entire
course of conduct, Stone v. Commissioner, 56 T.C. 213, 223-224
(1971). Likewise, a pattern showing a consistent underreporting
of income, when accompanied by circumstances evidencing an intent
- 269 -
to conceal, may justify a strong inference of fraud. Parks v.
Commissioner, 94 T.C. 654, 664 (1990).
Over the years, courts have developed a nonexclusive list of
factors that demonstrate fraudulent intent. These "badges of
fraud" include: (1) Understating income, (2) maintaining
inadequate records, (3) failing to file tax returns, (4)
implausible or inconsistent explanations of behavior, (5)
concealment of income or assets, (6) failing to cooperate with
tax authorities, (7) attempting to conceal illegal activities,
(8) failing to make estimated tax payments, and (9) filing false
documents. See Douge v. Commissioner, 899 F.2d 164, 168 (2d Cir.
1990); Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d 303, 307-308 (9th Cir.
1986), affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-601. Several of these indicia of
fraud are present herein.
1. Petitioner's Sophistication and Experience
The sophistication and experience of a taxpayer are relevant
in determining whether fraud exists. Stephenson v. Commissioner,
supra at 1006. Petitioner was a highly intelligent, astute, and
successful businessman. He was a consummate salesman. He dealt
frequently with executives of major corporations and prominent
Iranian officials. He was a strong negotiator. He was
thoroughly familiar with his vast business operations, and he
controlled them. Consequently, it is unlikely that he would not
have realized that his Federal income tax liabilities were
- 270 -
consistently and substantially underreported for each of the
years 1972 through 1976.
2. Consistent and Substantial Understatements of Income
Consistent and substantial understatement of income may be
strong evidence of fraud. Marcus v. Commissioner, 70 T.C. 562,
577 (1978), affd. without published opinion 621 F.2d 439 (5th
Cir. 1980). Moreover, a pattern of consistent underreporting of
income, when accompanied by other circumstances indicating an
intent to conceal income, justifies the inference of fraud.
Holland v. United States, 348 U.S. 121, 137 (1954).
Although petitioner carefully kept track of the income he
generated, he did not disclose to Mr. Giffin, his accountant and
return preparer, substantial amounts that were not recorded in
the books and records of his sole proprietorship, CTC. For 1972,
1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976 business receipts directed to accounts
other than petitioner's or CTC's CNB accounts and not recorded in
CTC's books exceeded approximately $1,000,000, $750,000,
$2,500,000, $1,850,000 and $1,375,000, respectively. These
omitted amounts greatly exceeded the reported Schedule C gross
profit in every year except 1976; in that year the omitted amount
was 80 percent of the reported gross profit. Mr. Giffin did not
know about these deposits because he knew only what was recorded
in CTC's cash receipts journal. Furthermore, Mr. Giffin never
- 271 -
saw or knew the terms of the underlying agreements with Lockheed
and Ashland.
Petitioner was the sole representative of Lockheed and
Ashland with respect to the business these companies transacted
with the Government of Iran. These two companies paid
commissions in excess of $5 million for the services rendered by
petitioner. As a part of his scheme to evade the payment of
taxes, petitioner directed the majority of the commissions to
bank accounts in the names of other entities. He directed
Lockheed to make commission payments he earned in the amounts of
$594,972, $466,147, $995,542, and $331,862 to Diesel Power's Bank
of America account during the years 1972 through 1975,
respectively. He also directed Lockheed to deposit commission
payments he earned to the WHIP bank account at Barclays Bank
Bahamas in the amounts of $418,111 in 1972 and $191,588 in 1973.
The amounts he directed to the Diesel Power and WHIP bank
accounts were not recorded in CTC's books, nor were Lockheed,
WHIP, or Sunvaco listed as customers of Diesel Power in the
latter's financial statements for the periods ending March 20,
1974 and March 20, 1975.
Petitioner had complete control over the Diesel Power and
WHIP bank accounts. He made significant withdrawals and
transfers from the accounts during the years 1972 through 1976
which he converted to his personal use. From the WHIP bank
- 272 -
account, he paid Hossein Zanganeh $80,000 in 1972 for his
assistance in the Lockheed transactions. He transferred $880,000
from the WHIP account to a Swiss account at the Banque de Paris.
From the Diesel Power account at Bank of America, petitioner
withdrew $655,500 in 1973, $531,633 in 1974, $1,345,766.60 in
1975, and $665,000 in 1976.
With respect to Ashland, petitioner was paid commissions for
his consulting services in the amounts of $117,900 in 1973,
$1,472,776 in 1974, and $452,328 in 1975. In 1976, he was paid
$265,000 for the termination of the various consulting agreements
that existed with respect to Ashland's business in Iran. Yet he
reported only $66,250 of these amounts on his tax returns for
those years.
The payments by Ashland, like those by Lockheed, were made
to shell entities, primarily All Patents Corporation, through
1975. Some of the amounts made payable to All Patents were
deposited to Swiss accounts at the Banque de Paris for
petitioner's benefit. He alone performed the services for which
those commission payments were made. He transferred the funds
deposited to All Patents' Banque de Paris account to Diesel
Power's account. He also had some of the commissions made
payable to All Patents deposited directly to Diesel Power's
account. Diesel Power provided no consulting services to
Ashland, and it was not in a line of business that would have
- 273 -
been of use to Ashland. These payments were not recorded in
CTC's books for 1973 through 1975, and Ashland and All Patents
were not listed as customers of Diesel Power in its financial
statements for the periods ending March 20, 1974, and March 20,
1975. The evidence is clear that Diesel Power did not earn the
commissions paid by Ashland during these periods, nor those paid
by Lockheed. The consultant agreements entered into by Lockheed
and Ashland for the sale of their products in Iran were
terminated once petitioner stopped traveling to Iran in 1975.
The termination payments were recorded in CTC's books only after
petitioner had to sign statements alleging compliance with the
consultant agreements. That occurred only after the Government's
probe into foreign business transactions.
In addition, petitioner understated substantial interest
income he received from foreign bank accounts in 1974, 1975, and
1976. During those 3 years petitioner earned interest on the
bank accounts or time deposits in the name of WHIP at the
Barclays Bank Bahamas in the amounts of $25,025, $29,338, and
$16,998, respectively. He admitted that WHIP was merely a shell
corporation that conducted no business of its own. Petitioner
directed all activities of WHIP and invested the funds of WHIP
for his personal benefit in time deposits at the Barclays Bank.
He closed WHIP's bank accounts in 1978 when he withdrew the
- 274 -
remaining balance of $610,000 and deposited it in his personal
bank account in Columbus, Ohio.
Petitioner also omitted interest income earned on his own
accounts at the First National City Bank in London. In 1974 and
1975 he earned interest of $38,055 and $43,641, respectively. In
1976 he earned interest of $44,127.50. Although petitioner
testified that the account in his name at the FNCB London was an
account of Diesel Power, the documentary evidence shows
otherwise. First, Diesel Power had a separate bank account, FNCB
London. No plausible reason was shown for it to have an account
in petitioner's name at that bank. Second, petitioner had
complete access to and control of the accounts in his own name.
He directed payments to the accounts and invested sums on deposit
in the accounts. He was the signatory on the accounts and the
accounts had no restrictions.
3. Overstatements of Business Expenses and Itemized
Deductions
It is well settled that a fraudulent understatement of
income can be accomplished by overstatements of business expenses
and deductions. See Drobny v. Commissioner, 86 T.C. 1326, 1349
(1986), and cases cited therein; Pettit v. Commissioner, T.C.
Memo. 1984-460, affd. without published opinion 792 F.2d 1122
(9th Cir. 1986); Gano v. Commissioner, 19 B.T.A. 518, 533 (1930).
Here petitioner consistently followed a pattern of claiming
excessive business expenses and deductions for all the years in
- 275 -
issue, particularly during the years for which respondent
determined fraud. For example, travel and entertainment expenses
were overstated by $19,913.37 in 1973, $75,284.40 in 1974,
$77,315.01 in 1975, and $20,000 in 1976. In addition, for some
of the years there were overstatements of some commission
expenses, consulting fees, legal and professional fees, salaries
and wages, interest expenses, depreciation, and rental expenses.
4. Failure to Maintain Adequate Books and Records
Failure to maintain adequate books and records of income
generally and failure to keep records of income diverted and
unreported are both indicative of fraud. Truesdell v.
Commissioner, 89 T.C. 1280, 1302 (1987); Gajewski v.
Commissioner, 67 T.C. at 200.
The record contains evidence showing that petitioner's books
and records with respect to income and expenses were inadequate,
incomplete, and sometimes misleading. Substantial income was
unreported and claimed expenses were overstated or not
substantiated.
5. Concealment of Income or Assets
The concealment of income or assets is an indicium of fraud.
Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d at 307-308.
Petitioner handled the transactions involving Lockheed and
Ashland to conceal from respondent the large sums of money paid
- 276 -
by these companies to him. Petitioner had access to the funds
through his signatory powers over the accounts. He withdrew
moneys from the WHIP and Bank of America accounts to which the
Lockheed sums were paid. Such withdrawals exceeded $2.9 million.
He had access to the deposits made to All Patents' account at the
Banque de Paris, and he transferred funds from that account to
the Diesel Power account. He also had payments made in the name
of All Patents deposited directly to Diesel Power's account at
the Banque de Paris. He had signatory authority over the
accounts. Diesel Power provided no services to Lockheed and
Ashland from 1972 through 1976.
As a part of his effort to conceal the commissions earned
from Lockheed and Ashland and the interest income earned on the
accounts at Barclays Bank Bahamas and FNCB London, petitioner
concealed this information from Mr. Giffin, his accountant and
return preparer. This is evidence of fraud. Korecky v.
Commissioner, 781 F.2d 1566, 1569 (11th Cir. 1986), affg. T.C.
Memo. 1985-63. Mr. Giffin had instructed CTC's employees to
include all income and disbursements of CTC and petitioner,
whether business or personal, on CTC's cash receipts and cash
disbursements journals. Mr. Giffin relied on the journals in
preparing petitioner's Federal income tax returns. If items did
not appear on the journals, Mr. Giffin was not aware of them. No
commission payments that petitioner directed to the foreign bank
- 277 -
accounts or to Diesel Power's Bank of America account were
recorded in the journals. Mr. Giffin did not know about such
payments.
At the time he prepared petitioner's tax returns, Mr.
Giffin was unaware that petitioner had any ownership interest in
Diesel Power. He was similarly unaware that petitioner had an
interest in or affiliation with WHIP or All Patents. He also did
not know that petitioner had signatory authority on any foreign
bank accounts.
Because this information was concealed from Mr. Giffin,
petitioner's 1974 and 1975 income tax returns made several false
statements. Not only did the returns fail to include in income
the interest earned on petitioner's FNCB London and WHIP
accounts, but the returns were not accompanied by a Form 4683
disclosing petitioner's signatory authority over the foreign bank
accounts. Such a form was required to be attached to returns for
years after 1975. When Mr. Dutton, petitioner's subsequent
accountant, filed an amended 1975 return in 1978, still no
disclosure was made of the foreign bank accounts.
On his 1976 income tax return petitioner disclosed the
existence of one FNCB London account on Form 4683, but failed to
disclose the WHIP account. The 1976 foreign bank accounts
disclosure form is also false because it improperly stated that
petitioner's interests in foreign bank accounts was less than
- 278 -
$50,000. The interest income alone earned on or deposited to the
foreign bank accounts in 1976 exceeded that amount.
After Mr. Giffin prepared petitioner's income tax returns,
Mr. Giffin, petitioner, and others would review the returns,
including the individual items that made up the total numbers
shown on the returns. If petitioner believed something on a
return was not correct, he would personally have it corrected.
Thus, petitioner signed the returns with knowledge of the
substantial omissions of income from Lockheed, Ashland, and
foreign bank accounts.
By not informing his accountant and return preparer about
interest income earned on bank accounts outside the United
States, by diverting the income he earned from Lockheed and
Ashland to accounts in the names of All Patents, WHIP, and Diesel
Power, and by not recording all fees earned from Lockheed and
Ashland, petitioner clearly evaded the payment of substantial
portions of his income tax liabilities for the years 1972 through
1976. Keeping this information from Mr. Giffin was an act of
concealment by petitioner. Reliance upon an accountant to
prepare accurate returns negates fraudulent intent only if the
accountant has been supplied with all the information necessary
to prepare the returns. Estate of Temple v. Commissioner, 67
T.C. 143, 162 (1976). Here petitioner was responsible for the
- 279 -
substantial underreporting of his income tax liabilities for the
years in question.
6. Failure To Cooperate With Respondent in Determining
Liabilities
Failure to cooperate in the examination and investigation of
tax liabilities is an indicium of fraud. Powell v. Granquist,
252 F.2d 56, 59-60 (9th Cir. 1958); Gajewski v. Commissioner,
supra at 200. Although petitioner asserts that he was
cooperative, he was cooperative only to a limited extent. His
cooperation was a defensive measure and incomplete. When
respondent's investigation began, petitioner defended his prior
actions by appearing to cooperate. He provided some of his books
and records to respondent's agents and advised his employees to
work with them. However, the books and records provided did not
include the millions of dollars in omitted income from Lockheed
and Ashland. Respondent's agents had to go to Lockheed and
Ashland to complete records of payments to petitioner. Thus, he
concealed the same information from respondent that he had
concealed from Mr. Giffin.
Petitioner also did not disclose to respondent's agents
complete information about the foreign bank accounts in which he
had an interest or his interest in WHIP. In fact, he withheld
information, even in responding to formal discovery, with respect
to the British bank accounts, Banque de Paris accounts in the
name of Diesel Power, and ownership information in WHIP, until
- 280 -
after respondent filed a motion to impose sanctions. Respondent
had to resort to this method to obtain the necessary facts, due
to petitioner's efforts to conceal these facts. He did not
volunteer complete and truthful information.
In 1979, after petitioner had Mr. Dutton withdraw the
$610,000 from WHIP's bank account in Barclays Bank Bahamas, Mr.
Dutton informed respondent's agent, who was investigating
potential criminal liability, that the $610,000 would be reported
on petitioner's 1978 income tax return. However, there is no
attachment to the tax return disclosing the withdrawal, and the
income was not reported on petitioner's return. All in all, it
is our view that petitioner did not truly cooperate with
respondent's agents. We think he only did what he thought was
necessary to keep respondent's agents from discovering the true
sources of his fraud.
Accordingly, after considering all the facts and
circumstances present in this record, we have found, and hold,
that petitioner is liable for the additions to tax for fraud
under section 6653(b) on the amounts of the underpayments for the
years 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976.
X. Issue 14--Statute of Limitations for 1972
Petitioner has affirmatively pleaded and contends that the
assessment of additional taxes for the year 1972 is barred by the
3-year statute of limitations. Sec. 6501(a). However, as
- 281 -
provided in section 6501(c)(1), the tax may be assessed at any
time in the case of a false or fraudulent return with intent to
evade tax. Because we have found that petitioner's 1972 Federal
income tax return was fraudulent, it follows that the assessment
of additional taxes for that year is not barred by the statute of
limitations.
XI. Issues 15 and 16--Section 6653(a) Additions to Tax for
Negligence
In the notices of deficiency for the years 1977 through 1981
respondent determined additions to tax for negligence. Section
6653(a), in effect for the years 1977 through 1980, provides that
if any part of the underpayment of tax is due to negligence or
intentional disregard of rules or regulations, there shall be
added to the tax an amount equal to 5 percent of the
underpayment. For the year 1981 the negligence addition to tax
includes two components: (1) 5 percent of the underpayment
(section 6653(a)(1)) and (2) 50 percent of the interest payable
under section 6601 on the portion of the underpayment
attributable to negligence (section 6653(a)(2)).
Negligence, as used in section 6653(a), is defined as the
"lack of due care or failure to do what a reasonable and
ordinarily prudent person would do under the circumstances."
Neely v. Commissioner, 85 T.C. 934, 947 (1985) (quoting Marcello
v. Commissioner, 380 F.2d at 506). Respondent's determination is
prima facie correct, and the burden is upon petitioners to prove
- 282 -
that these additions to tax are erroneous. Betson v.
Commissioner, 802 F.2d 365, 372 (9th Cir. 1986), affg. in part
and revg. in part T.C. Memo. 1984-264; Enoch v. Commissioner, 57
T.C. 781, 802 (1972).
Petitioners contend that they are not liable for the
negligence additions to tax because they relied upon "tax
experts" to properly prepare their returns for the years in
issue. As a general rule, the duty of filing accurate returns
cannot be avoided by placing responsibility on a tax return
preparer. Metra Chem Corp. v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. 654, 662
(1987); Pritchett v. Commissioner, 63 T.C. 149, 174-175 (1974).
In some circumstances, however, good faith reliance on expert
advisers negates applicability of the addition to tax for
negligence. Ewing v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 396, 423-424 (1988),
affd. without published opinion 940 F.2d 1534 (9th Cir. 1991).
To avoid liability, a taxpayer must establish the following: (1)
That the taxpayer provided the return preparer with complete and
accurate information from which the tax return could be properly
prepared; (2) that an incorrect return was the result of the
preparer's mistakes; and (3) that the taxpayer in good faith
relied on the advice of a competent return preparer. Jackson v.
Commissioner, 86 T.C. 492, 539-540 (1986), affd. 864 F.2d 1521
(10th Cir. 1989); Daugherty v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. 623, 641
(1982). In addition, taxpayers must show that they at least read
- 283 -
or made a cursory review of the prepared returns. Metra Chem
Corp. v. Commissioner, supra at 662. Here petitioners have
failed to establish that the information provided to their
accountants and return preparers was complete or accurate.
Petitioners failed to maintain adequate books and records,
and substantially overstated expenses and deductions for a number
of items on their tax returns. These expenses and deductions
include travel and entertainment expenses, depreciation, office
expenses, legal fees, consulting fees, management fees, farm
losses, partnership losses, subchapter S corporation losses,
interest expense, rent expense, and omitted income. Their
failure to keep adequate records, coupled with the omission of
income and overstatement of expenses, shows negligence or
intentional disregard of rules or regulations.
Petitioner substantially overstated his deductions for
travel and entertainment expenses for each of the years 1977
through 1981. He estimated amounts for such expenditures and
claimed high cash expenses that are not reflected in CTC's books
and records. For each of the years 1977 through 1981 the
deductions claimed for travel and entertainment expenses
substantially exceed the amounts recorded in CTC's cash
disbursements journals and the cash expenditures recorded in his
diaries. Petitioner has been unable to substantiate the
expenses. The failure to adequately document expenses for travel
- 284 -
and entertainment in light of the rules and regulations under
section 274 demonstrates negligence.
Several adjustments were made by respondent with respect to
depreciation, legal expenses, office expenses, consulting fees
and rent expense for the years 1977 through 1980. Such
adjustments were due to petitioner's failure to verify amounts
claimed or to establish that such amounts were ordinary and
necessary business expenses. He did not maintain records to
verify the adjusted bases of automobiles or the business use of
the automobiles for which depreciation was claimed. He claimed
deductions for legal expenses incurred by Diesel Power in excess
of $40,000 for which no substantiation was presented and for
which the business purpose was not shown. Business expenses were
claimed as consulting fees for payments to or on behalf of a
stockbroker who had no relationship to petitioner's trade or
business and who provided services to others. A business expense
in the amount of $50,000 claimed for a fee to petitioner's
brother was not paid. Rent expense was deducted for $6,451 paid
by petitioner for his daughter's apartment; $2,053 was deducted
that could not be identified; and over $13,000 was deducted for
his son-in-law and daughter's condominium. The failure to
maintain adequate records to verify business expenses or to show
that claimed amounts were paid is indicative of negligence.
- 285 -
For the years 1977 through 1980 petitioner claimed
management fees to CDC, a corporation in which he held a majority
interest, in the amounts of $96,396, $72,609, $67,943, and
$102,101, respectively. He offered no evidence that these
amounts were paid and, in fact, stipulated that the 1979 amount
was not paid. He also was unable to show a legitimate business
purpose for a portion of the expenses claimed in each year. He
was negligent in failing to substantiate that the management fees
paid to his corporation were ordinary and necessary business
expenses.
For the years 1979 and 1980 petitioner claimed losses for
farming activities on Schedule F in the amounts of $128,458 and
$249,204, respectively. There is no evidence in the record to
support these large amounts. However, there is affirmative
evidence that CDC or its subsidiary, Caspian Farm Systems, paid
the expenses or amounts incurred. Petitioner's failure to
provide any documentation in support of these large losses was
due to negligence.
For the years 1979 and 1980 petitioner claimed partnership
and small business corporation losses in amounts in excess of
$55,000 and $69,000, respectively. Included in these amounts was
a loss claimed in 1980 of $5,771 for Danny's Hideaway, when in
fact petitioner had disposed of his entire interest in that
business in 1979. Petitioner presented virtually no evidence in
- 286 -
support of numerous other losses claimed. The failure to
document such large losses constitutes negligence.
For the years 1979, 1980, and 1981 petitioner claimed
amounts of interest paid to the Mirhosseini family. He was
unable to show that a significant portion of the interest expense
claimed was actually paid to the Mirhosseini family or that
debtor/creditor relationships existed between him and the
Mirhosseini family.
For 1977 and 1978 petitioner had substantial amounts of
unreported income. Although he claimed the income belonged to
Diesel Power, it was under his dominion and control. It was
deposited to his bank account pursuant to directions he gave the
payors, and he performed the services for which the income was
paid. Furthermore, the manner in which the income was treated on
CTC's books and records was erroneous because it reflected the
unreported amounts as being the income of Diesel Power. His
return preparers relied on the books in preparing his tax
returns. The information relied upon by the return preparers was
not accurate, which is a further indication that petitioner was
negligent.
Accordingly, we sustain respondent's determinations with
respect to the additions to tax for negligence for each of the
years 1977 through 1981.
- 287 -
XII. Conclusion
We think we have resolved all the disputed issues raised by
the parties. However, if there are any unresolved issues, they
will be treated as conceded or abandoned or as issues with
respect to which there has been a failure of proof.
To reflect concessions of the parties and our conclusions on
the disputed issues,
Decisions will be entered
under Rule 155.