A Lifestyle Adjustment

The Ohio Disciplinary Counsel has filed charges against an attorney who cheated on his taxes to fund a lavish lifestyle.

From the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio

According to the Statement of Facts in this case, for several years, including 2010 through 2013, Atway owned multiple Verizon Wireless stores in Central Ohio aside from being a self-employed attorney who operated his own law practice. In 2013, he also generated income from a real-estate holding company for his rental properties.

Atway provided incomplete or false documents to his tax-return preparer. He further made false statements to her when asked to justify how he paid for his lifestyle.

During this timeframe, Atway was building and improving upon a luxury home in Powell. He paid more than $800,000 to contractors for additions including an enclosed tennis court, basketball court, in-ground pool, six-car garage and an elevator. These expenses could not have been covered by the amount of taxable income Atway reported to the IRS.

He was also buying high-end cars, including a $99,000 Land Rover, a $50,000 Porsche 911, a $24,000 Lexus IS250, a $71,000 BMW X6 and a nearly $143,000 Audi R8. For these cars, he either received no financing or paid off the loans early, and the income he reported to the dealerships was much greater than what he reported on his tax returns.

For 2010 through 2013, Atway caused a tax loss to the United States of between $250,000 and $1.5 million.

“Scott Atway is well-educated and seemingly a successful businessman, but he chose to lie to the IRS and now he is a convicted felon,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.

His present accommodations are more modest. (Mike Frisch)