CLEVELAND Man to pay for faking tax papers

Restitution to banks will likely be $68,000, prosecutor says.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
CLEVELAND -- Charles L. Wade, who failed as a counterfeiter, wasn't much better as a phony tax return preparer, either.
The sentencing hearing for the 49-year-old Youngstown man began Friday in U.S. District Court and will continue Monday.
The convictions include conspiring to impede and obstruct the lawful functions of the IRS, conspiracy to commit bank fraud with counterfeit checks, assisting others with false returns, aiding and abetting bank fraud and conspiracy to attempt to influence the testimony of a trial witness.
He's already serving 12 years for counterfeiting.
Linda M. Betzer, an assistant U.S. attorney, said U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. O'Malley is making findings that will affect the sentence. Betzer said restitution to banks will be roughly $68,000.
Wade prepared five false tax returns for 1994 in the names of his two daughters and others, then shared in the refunds.
He also recruited others to cash counterfeit checks purportedly in the names of businesses such as Tamarkin Company, Integra Realty, Grange Insurance, Century 21, Cerni Motors and Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority.
Wade was indicted in April 2001 and found guilty at trial in February. His co-defendants reached plea agreements.
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS with assistance from Youngstown, Boardman, Liberty and Austintown police.
Wade's indictment details how some of the tax returns falsely listed the individual as head of household and claimed children who didn't exist. In order to support the claims, Wade would prepare fake W-2 wage and tax statements.
Fake tax return
Wade even sent in a fabricated tax return for himself for 1994. In it, he claimed $4,300 in wages, a dependent and earned income.
It turns out Wade had no income that year, had no qualified dependent and was not entitled to earned income credit or a tax refund.
In February 2000, Wade received a 122-month prison term. He was also ordered to pay restitution to, among others, Sky Bank, Farmers National Bank, Home Savings and Loan, Cortland Bank, Giant Eagle, First Federal, Snapps Restaurant, Bank One, National City Bank, Key Bank, Value City and Exterra Credit Recovery.
Vindicator files show that Wade once operated the Garden Club, a bar on Market Street in Youngstown. He pleaded no contest in December 1996 in Youngstown Municipal Court to operating a private club without a license and received a 90-day jail sentence.
In January 2001, Wade tried, unsuccessfully, to sue the sentencing judge, Andrew Polovischak Jr., saying the judge was incompetent. The year before, Polovischak had pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and received a 30-month sentence.
meade@vindy.com