Mark
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois attorney regulators appointed lawyer Kurt Reitz of Belleville and layman Richard Mark of Collinsville to hear charges that David Fahrenkamp of Edwardsville cheated the Internal Revenue Service.
The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission had previously appointed lawyer Leo Konzen of Granite City as chairman of a panel examining Fahrenkamp.
The panel plans a public hearing on May 13, in Springfield.
Commission administrator Jerome Larkin charged Fahrenkamp with misconduct in January, alleging he owed $228,659.72 to the IRS.
Larkin wrote that Fahrenkamp engaged in commission of a criminal act that reflects adversely on the honesty of lawyers and brings the legal profession into disrepute.
He wrote that from 1995 to 2006, Fahrenkamp withheld income tax, Social Security tax and Medicare tax from paychecks of Susie Wells and Kim Kiel.
He wrote that Fahrenkamp did not remit those amounts to IRS.
He wrote that Fahrenkamp did not satisfy liens that IRS filed from 2006 to 2009.
He wrote that "failure to file the above described returns or pay withholding taxes was a criminal offense under federal law."
He wrote that Fahrenkamp also owed the state of Illinois about $13,000, adding that his failure to pay was a felony offense under Illinois law.
In February, Fahrenkamp admitted he didn't remit the amounts and that failure to do so was a criminal offense under federal law.
He wrote that certain amounts were paid but not all amounts.
He wrote that payments were made to reduce the amounts listed under the liens.
Though Larkin accused Fahrenkamp of criminal conduct, prosecutors apparently have not done so.
As of April 7, his name didn't appear on the criminal docket at U. S. district court.
Fahrenkamp has practiced law since 1978, in solo practice since 1984.
He keeps an office directly across from the Madison County courthouse.