Expert Witness

Three reasons to choose Robert L. Sommers as your expert witness:

Communication Skills – Bob speaks and writes in clear English and uses easy to comprehend analogies and diagrams to illustrate his expert testimony.

Litigation Savvy – Bob has been practicing law for more than 40 years, 32 of which as a tax specialist. Bob understands the role of an expert witness in the trial process. 

Bob provides expert tax advice and analysis (as an advisor or expert witness) involving suspicious or complex U.S. and foreign tax issues, schemes and transactions to:

  • Tax Authorities and Prosecutors analyzing tax fraud schemes, sham trusts (Pure Trust Organizations, Unincorporate Business Organizations and alike) and foreign and domestic asset protection trusts.
  • Plaintiffs or Defendants involved in litigation concerning bogus or abusive tax shelters (IRS listed transactions such as CARDS, Son of Boss, ESOP and S corporation tax shelters) and tax-shelter opinions.
  • Bankruptcy Trustees, Receivers, Spouses, Creditors, and their Attorneys, scrutinizing domestic or off-shore trusts, sham trusts, asset protection trusts and other schemes to hide assets or evade creditors. Government and Private Investigators searching for hidden funds or assets.

Credentials

Author of the Trust Scam Bulletin Board on the Web.

Testified before the United States Senate Finance Committee (4/5/01) regarding sham trusts on the web.

Expert Tax Counsel to prominent State Gaming Commission – advised investigators and analyzed complex financial and tax transactions involving multiple countries and entities.

Served as an Expert Witness in several prominent Federal Criminal Cases involving sham trusts:

  • United States v Hanes, et al CR ( August, 2007). Retained as an expert witness in tax and trust law (case is pending).
  • United States v Meredith, et al CR 02-372-DDP ( February, 2004). Testified as an expert in tax and trust law.
  • United States v. Ellis et al. 99-8145-CR (July, 2001). Testified as an expert in trust law.
  • United States v. Blakley et al. MO-98-CR-92 (October 1998). Testified as an expert in trust law.
  • United States v. Daniel Watlington et. al. No. 5:05-CR-4-1F3. Retained as an expert in trust law – defendant pled guilty prior to trial.
  • U.S. v Miller, No. ED CR 03-18(A). Retained as an expert in trust law – defendants pled guilty prior to trial.

Served as expert tax counsel in non-criminal fraudulent trust, asset protection and tax shelter cases:

  • Gerald & Ona Lindsey, et. al. No. 03-21652 Bankruptcy Case: Retained as an expert in trust law – the case settled prior to trial.
  • Cohen v Givner, et. al.Los Angeles Superior Court No. SC78765 Civil Tax Shelter Case – Son of Boss and ESOP with S corporation tax shelters: Retained as an expert advisor in tax law – case settled befor trial.
  • Reese Jones v Stars Holding, et. al. AAA No. 74Y1810029804 Civil Tax Shelter Case – CARDS tax shelter transaction – Retained as an expert advisor in tax law – case settled before trial..
  • Kenner et. al. v Commissioner of Internal Revenue U.S. Tax Court Nos. 961-05; 5048-05. Tax Shelter Case – Retained as an expert advisor by IRS with respect to asset protection issues – case settled prior to trial.
  • Johann Keil v Best, Best & Krieger, LLP, No. 06 cc 05007 (California Civil Action), Expert in tax law – tax attorney malpractice case.