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SELL IT ON E-BAY

June 19, 2006

Technology evolves, but people stay pretty much the same. That means the march of progress creates new ways to get in trouble. For example, last week a defrocked San Diego policeman pleaded guilty to tax evasion via eBay:

SAN DIEGO – A former San Diego police officer, who failed to pay $63,000 in taxes on his salary and profits he made by selling stolen property on eBay, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal income tax evasion charges.

James Estrella, 46, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 5 by U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez.

As part of his plea, Estrella admitted that he failed to file income tax returns for the calendar years 2001 through 2003, and failed to pay taxes for those years.

This is the first eBay tax conviction I have noticed, though I wouldn't be surprised if there have been others. With the IRS getting access to PayPal and offshore credit card records, I'm sure it won't be the last one.

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