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Federal Mafia: How It Illegally Imposes and Unlawfully Collects Income Taxes
book on how the goverment is collecting taxes
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
3 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Irwin A. Schiff
12 books27 followersAmerican anti-income tax activist. In 1950, Schiff graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and economics.
He has lost several civil cases against the federal government and has a record of multiple convictions for various federal tax crimes. Schiff is serving a 13-plus year sentence for tax crimes
He has lost several civil cases against the federal government and has a record of multiple convictions for various federal tax crimes. Schiff is serving a 13-plus year sentence for tax crimes
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 13, 2016
First, I want to say that "Federal Mafia" is a fairly disjointed work, but it has a lot of valuable information. During his time writing this book, Irwin Schiff was in and out of jail and was moved to several different facilities, so the ending of this book was not quite what he had planned. Despite these downsides, though, there is a lot of original source material in this book that supports the idea that the income tax is unconstitutional. He discusses his own fight against the government and the court systems. Regardless of your opinion on the legality of the income tax, you will leave this book believing that Schiff was given a raw deal. He was continually thwarted every step of the way without getting fair hearings in front of unbiased judges. He was bankrupted by these battles and ultimately ended up dying in federal prison about a year and a half ago. The sale of the "Federal Mafia" was banned in a U.S. court, which further proves Schiff's point that the United States has drifted far from the haven of freedom that the Founding Fathers had envisioned.
Schiff's case against the federal income tax begins with his belief that it is unconstitutional. Some of his points include: being forced to file a tax return is a violation of the 5th amendment protection against self-incrimination, the tax is voluntary based on several clauses of the tax code, and that "income" is corporate income (wages do not represent income). He makes dozens of other arguments throughout this book, but I do not have the space to enumerate on those other arguments.
I would recommend this book to anyone that that has nagging suspicions about the undue burden that income taxes place on the populace. We are expected to lay our entire financial lives bare each year to the government. The IRS wields significant arbitrary power over us and can ruin our lives if it so pleases. I cannot say where I am completely convinced by every single one of Schiff's arguments, but he certainly makes a convincing case that he was treated unfairly and that the income tax is fatally flawed.
For everyone's information: this entire book is available for free in PDF version on Schiff's website.
Schiff's case against the federal income tax begins with his belief that it is unconstitutional. Some of his points include: being forced to file a tax return is a violation of the 5th amendment protection against self-incrimination, the tax is voluntary based on several clauses of the tax code, and that "income" is corporate income (wages do not represent income). He makes dozens of other arguments throughout this book, but I do not have the space to enumerate on those other arguments.
I would recommend this book to anyone that that has nagging suspicions about the undue burden that income taxes place on the populace. We are expected to lay our entire financial lives bare each year to the government. The IRS wields significant arbitrary power over us and can ruin our lives if it so pleases. I cannot say where I am completely convinced by every single one of Schiff's arguments, but he certainly makes a convincing case that he was treated unfairly and that the income tax is fatally flawed.
For everyone's information: this entire book is available for free in PDF version on Schiff's website.
April 26, 2017
The book is often hard to read (I still haven't read the whole thing straight through) and is probably better as a reference, due to its copious quotations from the minutia of supreme court cases and the internal revenue code. It even includes photocopied pages from the code. Not exactly beach reading. Also, due to the worksheet pages, the book is awkwardly sized. It's as if you had a magazine that was 250 pages. Hard to put on the shelf. Also the cover is hideous and the subject is dry. Finally, I have no way of knowing if Irwin Schiff's arguments are correct, as I have no legal training and the only thing harder to follow than his twisting arguments is the maze of the tax code itself.
Still, I gave this book 5 starts for the same reason that you should buy this book: because it is the only non-fiction book to ever be banned by the U.S. federal government, and because Irwin Schiff spent the last years of his life in Terra Haute, Indiana, held as a political prisoner, because of the content of this book. Give a finger to the criminal government which rules us by buying this book and displaying it proudly on your coffee table for your guests to see and be scandalized by.
RIP Irwin Schiff, who refused to kneel (1928-2015)
Still, I gave this book 5 starts for the same reason that you should buy this book: because it is the only non-fiction book to ever be banned by the U.S. federal government, and because Irwin Schiff spent the last years of his life in Terra Haute, Indiana, held as a political prisoner, because of the content of this book. Give a finger to the criminal government which rules us by buying this book and displaying it proudly on your coffee table for your guests to see and be scandalized by.
RIP Irwin Schiff, who refused to kneel (1928-2015)
October 11, 2023
THE PROMINENT ‘TAX PROTESTER’ WROTE ANOTHER BOOK FROM PRISON
An introductory section of this 1990 book states, “This book is designed to provide the author’s findings and opinion, based on research and analysis of the subject matter covered… Further, there is always an element of risk in standing up for one’s lawful rights in the face of an oppressive taxing authority backed by a biased judiciary. Therefore, the author and publisher disclaim any responsibility for any liability of loss incurred as a consequence of the use and application … of any advice and information presented within.”
Author Irwin Schiff wrote in the Introduction, “The revelations in this book will shock those Americans who naively assume that their government operates pursuant to law and according to a Constitution. When it comes to income taxes… the only difference between the government in our country and that found in any fascist state is merely one of style and degree, not substance… I promise you that before you finish reading this book you will be convinced that: 1. No American is legally required to file an income tax return; 2. No American is legally required to pay federal income taxes… 5. All government prosecutions (including those for tax evasion) in connection with alleged income tax ‘crimes’ are ILLEGAL… and finally, 6. The United States government … has been extracting income taxes from the American public in total violation of the law. In short, if you think you are living in a country governed by law and a Constitution, this book will convince you that you are living in a fool’s paradise.”
He asserts, “it is misleading for me to accuse the IRS of doing this, that, and the other thing… because it is not really the IRS that does these things, but the United States itself… when the IRS breaks the law it is really the United States that’s doing it… Now that I have clarified that, let us proceed to discover why, in America, organized crime begins with the Federal Government.” (Pg. 66)
He acknowledges, “When ‘How Anyone Can Stop Paying Income Taxes’ was published, I believed it contained sufficient information to convince everyone that filing income tax returns was voluntary, and that no one was required to have income taxes taken from their pay or to pay estimated taxes. However, when I wrote that book, I believed that the [Internal Revenue] Code did authorize the government … to estimate, assess and bill individuals for income taxes, even when they did not file tax returns… and only THEN did I suggest that individuals might be required to pay the tax. I corrected this FALSE BELIEF in ‘The Great Income Tax Hoax.’” (Pg. 83)
He recounts, “At my last ‘trial’ … The prosecutor told the jury that I advised people to lie to the IRS and make appointments and then break them… If you think about it, ‘lying’ to the IRS is really no different than ‘lying’ to a stick-up man. If you are accosted by one who demands all your money and you tell him you don’t have any---even though you have a $100 bill secreted in the heel of your left shoe---is that lying? But I never really told people to actually lie to the IRS except once when I got carried away at a seminar which several IRS agents were taping.” (Pg. 174)
He reports, “I began writing this book in September 1988, approximately three weeks after I was ransomed out of federal incarceration by a family member. I had served 20 months of federal confinement on trumped-up charges of income tax evasion. I was framed by the U.S. prosecutor and the presiding judge, in a manner equal to that of anything the old West or the Soviet Union had to offer.” (Pg. 188)
He argues, “It is really unnecessary to spend much time commenting on the Second Circuit’s decision sustaining my conviction, since it must be obvious that any appellate court that could sustain Dorsey’s supplemental instruction is capable of sustaining ANYTHING.” (Pg. 228)
In the Epilogue, he laments, “it should now be clear to you that Americans are no longer protected by a constitution… It is also clear to me that the release of this book is probably my only hope of getting out of jail in the immediate future, and is, I am sure, my only real hope of ever getting a lawless and vengeful government off my back. Obviously I am innocent of any wrongdoing, but this has not stopped the government from imprisoning me for over 24 months BEFORE, six months NOW (as of this writing), and for as many more months as they will try to get away with in the future… My only hope is that this book will make a broad and significant public impact and elicit some kind of public outcry…” (Pg. 256)
Schiff died in a federal prison hospital (his lawyers had claimed a ‘diminished capacity’ defense in his later trials), having spent nearly the last ten years of his life in prison (his third stretch in prison). His life will hopefully be enough to persuade any readers of his books to IGNORE and REJECT his ineffective arguments and advice.
An introductory section of this 1990 book states, “This book is designed to provide the author’s findings and opinion, based on research and analysis of the subject matter covered… Further, there is always an element of risk in standing up for one’s lawful rights in the face of an oppressive taxing authority backed by a biased judiciary. Therefore, the author and publisher disclaim any responsibility for any liability of loss incurred as a consequence of the use and application … of any advice and information presented within.”
Author Irwin Schiff wrote in the Introduction, “The revelations in this book will shock those Americans who naively assume that their government operates pursuant to law and according to a Constitution. When it comes to income taxes… the only difference between the government in our country and that found in any fascist state is merely one of style and degree, not substance… I promise you that before you finish reading this book you will be convinced that: 1. No American is legally required to file an income tax return; 2. No American is legally required to pay federal income taxes… 5. All government prosecutions (including those for tax evasion) in connection with alleged income tax ‘crimes’ are ILLEGAL… and finally, 6. The United States government … has been extracting income taxes from the American public in total violation of the law. In short, if you think you are living in a country governed by law and a Constitution, this book will convince you that you are living in a fool’s paradise.”
He asserts, “it is misleading for me to accuse the IRS of doing this, that, and the other thing… because it is not really the IRS that does these things, but the United States itself… when the IRS breaks the law it is really the United States that’s doing it… Now that I have clarified that, let us proceed to discover why, in America, organized crime begins with the Federal Government.” (Pg. 66)
He acknowledges, “When ‘How Anyone Can Stop Paying Income Taxes’ was published, I believed it contained sufficient information to convince everyone that filing income tax returns was voluntary, and that no one was required to have income taxes taken from their pay or to pay estimated taxes. However, when I wrote that book, I believed that the [Internal Revenue] Code did authorize the government … to estimate, assess and bill individuals for income taxes, even when they did not file tax returns… and only THEN did I suggest that individuals might be required to pay the tax. I corrected this FALSE BELIEF in ‘The Great Income Tax Hoax.’” (Pg. 83)
He recounts, “At my last ‘trial’ … The prosecutor told the jury that I advised people to lie to the IRS and make appointments and then break them… If you think about it, ‘lying’ to the IRS is really no different than ‘lying’ to a stick-up man. If you are accosted by one who demands all your money and you tell him you don’t have any---even though you have a $100 bill secreted in the heel of your left shoe---is that lying? But I never really told people to actually lie to the IRS except once when I got carried away at a seminar which several IRS agents were taping.” (Pg. 174)
He reports, “I began writing this book in September 1988, approximately three weeks after I was ransomed out of federal incarceration by a family member. I had served 20 months of federal confinement on trumped-up charges of income tax evasion. I was framed by the U.S. prosecutor and the presiding judge, in a manner equal to that of anything the old West or the Soviet Union had to offer.” (Pg. 188)
He argues, “It is really unnecessary to spend much time commenting on the Second Circuit’s decision sustaining my conviction, since it must be obvious that any appellate court that could sustain Dorsey’s supplemental instruction is capable of sustaining ANYTHING.” (Pg. 228)
In the Epilogue, he laments, “it should now be clear to you that Americans are no longer protected by a constitution… It is also clear to me that the release of this book is probably my only hope of getting out of jail in the immediate future, and is, I am sure, my only real hope of ever getting a lawless and vengeful government off my back. Obviously I am innocent of any wrongdoing, but this has not stopped the government from imprisoning me for over 24 months BEFORE, six months NOW (as of this writing), and for as many more months as they will try to get away with in the future… My only hope is that this book will make a broad and significant public impact and elicit some kind of public outcry…” (Pg. 256)
Schiff died in a federal prison hospital (his lawyers had claimed a ‘diminished capacity’ defense in his later trials), having spent nearly the last ten years of his life in prison (his third stretch in prison). His life will hopefully be enough to persuade any readers of his books to IGNORE and REJECT his ineffective arguments and advice.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews