July 30, 2002

EX-LAWYER SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS IN TAX EVASION CASE

 A Mission Hills man has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to five counts of income tax evasion for the years 1993 through 1997. Derrick Anthony Hoo, 56, was sentenced late Monday afternoon by United States District Judge Margaret M. Morrow.
 Hoo, who practiced personal injury law at law offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco, pleaded guilty to failing to report on his personal income tax returns approximately $281,000 in income over a five-year period.
 Hoo, who was a licensed attorney in the state of California during the years 1993 through 1997, maintained 13 client trust accounts at six different banks. He issued checks, drawn on his client trust accounts, to pay his personal expenses, including mortgage payments, automobile payments and credit card payments. He also wrote checks payable to himself. Hoo failed to report the receipt of this income on his tax returns.
 This case is the product of an ongoing investigation conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation into income tax violations by attorneys, doctors, cappers and administrators in connection with the filing of personal injury claims. To date, approximately 60 defendants have been convicted.

 Release No. 02-113

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