Роберт Барнвелл Кларксон: Салықтан жалтарған және заң бұзушылықтар тарихы

the Episcopal bishop

Robert Barnwell Clarkson (June 4, 1947 – March 1, 2010) was an American tax protester in South Carolina.

Clarkson was born in Camden, South Carolina, the son of James S. H. Clarkson, Jr. of Sumter, South Carolina and Frances Dargan Clarkson of Camden, South Carolina. He graduated Sumter High School (then known as Edmunds High School) in the class of 1965 and then graduated in 1969 from Clemson University with a bachelor of arts degree in economics. He served as a platoon leader in the Vietnam War. Clarkson graduated from South Carolina Law School in 1974.

Clarkson was brought up on lawyer misconduct charges in 1976 and in 1977 was indicted on numerous accounts of preparing fraudulent tax returns and presenting false claims to the United States Department of the Treasury. In 1978, his lawyer misconduct hearings were concluded at the South Carolina State Supreme Court and he was disbarred. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Clarkson had two federal tax related criminal convictions. He was given a suspended sentence with five years probation, under the condition that he not become involved with income tax schemes.

In May 2004, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Clarkson had engaged in the unauthorized practice of law and held that Clarkson was guilty of criminal contempt. He was sentenced to six months in jail. The sentence was suspended for five years, however, on three conditions: firstly, that Clarkson and the South Carolina Office of Disciplinary Counsel submit to the Court an agreed upon disclaimer stating that Clarkson is not an attorney and is not licensed to practice law in South Carolina or in any other state; secondly, that Clarkson file an affidavit stating that the disclaimer has been prominently and permanently placed on any and all of his websites and on all literature authored and/or published by Clarkson; and thirdly, that Clarkson no longer engage in the unauthorized practice of law. In 2005, the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit requesting an injunction against Clarkson in a U. S. District Court in South Carolina, asking that the court bar Clarkson from selling his tax schemes and holding classes. The Department also asked that the court require Clarkson to hand over the names and addresses of his clients. The requested permanent injunction was issued in July 2007. According to a news release by the U. S. Department of Justice on July 3, 2007, the court "found that Clarkson falsely instructed Patriot Network members that they need not file federal income tax returns. The court also held that Clarkson helped members obstruct IRS efforts to collect taxes." Clarkson was also ordered "to give copies of the injunction to people who bought his products and to post the injunction on the Patriot Network Web site." A few days later, Clarkson was again arrested and was charged with violating a trespass order, unlawful use of the "911" emergency phone service, and first degree harassment.

Clarkson died on March 1, 2010.