Here’s a strategy that’s guaranteed to endear yourself to the IRS and other officials at the federal government. First, get yourself in trouble with the SEC. Thanh Viet Jeremy Cao of nearby Rancho Santa Margarita did just that: He was a defendant in a civil fraud case brought by the agency. Now, most of us who would be in such trouble would get an attorney, or perhaps discuss settling the charges (with the help of the attorney, of course).
Not Mr. Cao.
As the Department of Justice reported,
Cao filed 22 false liens in the public records of the state of Nevada and Clark County, Nev., against SEC attorneys, U.S. District Court Judges, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judges, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Secret Service special agents and special agents of the IRS. Each lien alleged that the lien victims were “debtors” of Cao for hundreds of millions of dollars. According to the plea agreement, Cao admitted that all 22 liens were false and agreed that the liens should be expunged from the public record.
Mr. Cao is also accused of filing for $20 million in false tax refunds. Mr. Cao is a tax preparer, but hopefully not for long. Sentencing is scheduled for September; Mr. Cao is likely looking at a stint at ClubFed.
Peter Pappas has more.