Home Cleveland Press Releases 2009 Attorney Charged with Mail Fraud and False Tax Returns
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Attorney Charged with Mail Fraud and False Tax Returns

U.S. Attorney’s Office August 19, 2009
  • Northern District of Ohio (216) 622-3600

William J. Edwards, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that an indictment was filed against Dale P. Zucker charging him with one count of mail fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns. Zucker, age 60, now resides in Texas, but previously resided in Chagrin Falls and Cleveland, Ohio.

The indictment alleges that the defendant was an attorney who owned and operated the law firm “Dale P. Zucker, L.P.A.”, which specialized in medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. The indictment alleges that the defendant fraudulently induced approximately 19 current or former clients of his law practice and other acquaintances to invest in businesses that did not exist. The indictment alleges further that the defendant lulled investors into a false sense of security by mailing them promissory notes that guaranteed the return of their initial investment at an interest rate of 10% to 25%, depending on the investor. The indictment also alleges that the defendant lulled other investors by providing them with post-dated checks for their principal investment and interest.

The indictment alleges that the defendant knew he would not be able to repay the investors and, rather than fund the businesses as represented, the defendant converted the investments for his own purposes and personal use, which included paying earlier investors, the expenses of his law practice and his own personal expenses. The total approximate loss amount in this case is $702,750.02.

The indictment alleges further that the defendant filed false federal income tax returns for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005, which failed to report combined income of approximately $588,000.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bridget M. Brennan following an investigation by the Cleveland Offices of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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