Culp v. Commissioner

1989 T.C. Memo. 517, 58 T.C.M. 207, 1989 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 517
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 25, 1989
DocketDocket No. 31902-86
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 1989 T.C. Memo. 517 (Culp v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Culp v. Commissioner, 1989 T.C. Memo. 517, 58 T.C.M. 207, 1989 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 517 (tax 1989).

Opinion

CHARLES P. CULP and ALICE R. CULP, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Culp v. Commissioner
Docket No. 31902-86
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1989-517; 1989 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 517; 58 T.C.M. (CCH) 207; T.C.M. (RIA) 89517;
September 25, 1989
B. Ray Anderson and Thomas E. Crowe, for the petitioners.
Thomas N. Thompson, for the respondent.

SWIFT

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

SWIFT, Judge: In timely statutory notices of deficiency or in his amended answer, respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners' Federal income tax liabilities for the years 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1982, and additions to tax, as follows:

CHARLES P. CULP
Additions to Tax, I.R.C. Secs. 1
YearDeficiency6651(a)(1)6653(a)6654
1979$ 27,465.24$ 6,866.31$ 1,373.26$ 1,148.11
1980*10,166.26 2,541.56 734.54-

*519

CHARLES P. CULP AND ALICE R. CULP
Additions to Tax, I.R.C. Secs.
YearDeficiency6653(a)(1)6653(a)(2)6653(b)
1981$ 513,748.30--$ 256,874.15
19821,896.00$ 94.30**-

After settlement of some issues, the issues remaining for decision are: (1) Whether petitioner Charles P. Culp in 1980 or in 1981 received compensation for personal services and the amount thereof; (2) whether petitioners are liable for the fraud addition to tax determined for 1981; and (3) whether petitioner Charles P. Culp is liable for the fraud, delinquency, or negligence additions to tax determined for 1980.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. At the time of filing their petition, petitioners resided in Drumright, Oklahoma. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to petitioner are to Charles P. Culp.

Since 1969 petitioner has been employed as a stockbroker. In September of 1980, petitioner for the first time became involved in organizing, promoting, and taking public new high-risk companies. At that time, petitioner was introduced*520 to Louis Porter of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who with his son James Porter owned a private company named MAC Minerals, Inc. ("MAC Minerals").

MAC Minerals anticipated acquiring certain oil and gas properties located in Washita County, Oklahoma, which the Porters desired to transfer to a dormant publicly held company which they then would revive and the stock of which (after being received by the Porters and other participants in the transaction) would be aggressively marketed and promoted, producing substantial profits to holders of the stock. Inexplicably (even though Louis Porter did not acquire an interest in the oil and gas properties until February of 1981), on November 24, 1980, Louis Porter purportedly sold his "interest" in the oil and gas properties to MAC Minerals for $ 3 million, reflected by a promissory note MAC Minerals issued to Louis Porter in that amount due August 1, 1981.

In the early fall of 1980, petitioner introduced Louis Porter to Carl Martin ("Martin") of Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Martin apparently was a business promoter and was particularly familiar with the process of promoting or reviving dormant companies. By agreement with petitioner and the Porters, Martin*521 undertook to locate a dormant or shell publicly held corporation. Martin discussed the transaction proposed by the Porters with the owners or representatives of Harmon Killebrew, Inc. ("Killebrew Inc."), a dormant Utah corporation. As the name indicates, the stock of Killebrew Inc. was owned primarily by Harmon Killebrew, the Hall of Fame baseball player for the Minnesota Twins. Others holding blocks of the dormant stock of Killebrew Inc. were Vibert L. Kesler, Mr. Killebrew's personal attorney, and Devere Watkins.

As of the fall of 1980, the stock of Killebrew Inc. had not traded publicly for many years. Killebrew Inc. was not engaged in any business activity. It had no plans to do so, and there were reflected on its financial statements no significant assets or liabilities.

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1989 T.C. Memo. 517, 58 T.C.M. 207, 1989 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 517, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/culp-v-commissioner-tax-1989.