Tax trouble

Arkansas Business, Oct 22, 2007

A Texas radiology practice is also in trouble with the IRS, and the doctors blame Little Rock lawyer Scott D. Fletcher for their woes.

Texarkana Radiology Associates Inc. filed a malpractice suit against Fletcher and his firm, Fletcher Law Firm P.A., in Pulaski County Circuit Court. The complaint seeks at least $250,000 in damages.

The five doctors who own the group hired Fletcher to establish retirement plans and to help them with maintenance of the plans after they were established in 2000.

But the IRS said something was wrong with a "partial waiver of benefits" between 2000 and 2004 and claimed the partners owed between $1.2 million and $11.9 million in back taxes.

After "extensive negotiations" with the IRS, Texarkana Radiology was able to settle the dispute for $120,000.

The doctors blame Fletcher for not making sure the retirement plan complied with tax laws. Fletcher was unavailable for comment last week.

Fletcher is a former law partner of Keith Moser, who is serving 188 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to 13 felony counts.

Another former member of Jewell Moser Fletcher & Holleman, Barry Jewell, is facing a five-count federal indictment for money laundering, tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the government. He's set for trial in September 2008.