Superseding Tax Indictment Against Chicago Attorney Adds Charge for Alleged Witness Tampering

CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has charged a Chicago attorney with corruptly attempting to influence the testimony of a witness in his federal tax fraud case.

MICHAEL ABRAMSON was originally indicted in 2018 on federal tax charges for allegedly filing false individual and corporate income tax returns.  The original charges alleged that Abramson provided more than $1 million for personal expenses to a woman with whom he was romantically involved and then falsely characterized the funds as commissions or loans in his corporations' books and on the tax returns.  Abramson was an attorney in Chicago who held ownership interests in two companies – Leasing Employment Services Co., Inc. and Eastern Advisors, Inc.

The superseding indictment returned this week in U.S. District Court in Chicago renews the prior tax charges and adds counts of witness tampering and contempt of court for Abramson’s alleged attempt to script the testimony of a witness to make it more favorable to Abramson.  Abramson allegedly gave the witness a copy of her previous court testimony, on which he had made handwritten notes changing, supplementing, or otherwise scripting her answers, and told her to review it before Abramson’s trial on the tax charges, which was scheduled for Feb. 5, 2024.  The witness for several years had provided bookkeeping and accounting services for Abramson’s companies.

As a result of the alleged witness tampering, Abramson’s trial was continued to July 1, 2024.  Abramson’s bond was also revoked and he was remanded into federal custody pending trial.

Abramson, 74, of Wilmette, Ill., will be arraigned on the superseding indictment on March 28, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall.

The superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Misty N. Wright.

The public is reminded that charges are not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.