Reno, Nev. - A Reno man was convicted by a jury this afternoon of two counts of submitting fictitious obligations ("Sight Drafts") to the IRS and two counts of attempting to interfere with the administration of IRS laws, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

ALBERT R. SALMAN, age 65, owner of the Stead Barbershop in Reno, was indicted by the federal grand jury in October 2003. Trial began Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks. He is facing up to 25 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each of the fictitious obligations counts, and up to three years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each of the interference counts.

According to the court records, on or about October 30, 1998, and January 15, 1999, SALMAN, submitted fictitious "Sight Drafts" in the amounts of $750,000 and $250,000, respectively, to the IRS for the payment of his estimated federal personal income tax, knowing that the drafts were fictitious and that he did not owe such tax liability to the IRS. The "Sight Drafts" purported that they were issued under the authority of the United Sates Treasury, and were submitted along with an IRS Form 1040-ES, which is a payment voucher. Each voucher indicated he was making payment on behalf of ALBERT R. SALMAN for the 1998 calendar year.

ALBERT SALMAN is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks on December 16, 2004, at 9:00 a.m. He is released on bond pending sentencing.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of IRS Criminal Investigation in Nevada. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Sullivan.

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