Veteran Las Vegas attorney convicted of tax evasion

A longtime Las Vegas attorney was convicted of tax evasion charges Friday in federal court.

Ian Christopherson, a 2008 judicial candidate, was indicted in 2009 on one count of income tax evasion and one count of employment tax evasion.

According to the indictment, Christopherson “affirmatively attempted to evade” paying individual income taxes he owed for the 1994 and 1996 tax years.

The indictment also accused Christopherson of making attempts to evade paying employment taxes he owed for 1994 through 1998 and unemployment taxes he owed for 1992 through 1998.

According to the indictment, the attorney concealed money and assets in a bank account that was established in the names of other people.

The trial began Monday before U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson, who is scheduled to sentence Christopherson on Jan. 4. The defendant declined to comment Friday after the verdicts were announced.

In the 2008 election, Christopherson unsuccessfully challenged District Judge Jessie Walsh. He was the only candidate in the race who did not publicly campaign for the job, calling himself the “un-candidate.” He said his primary reason for throwing his name into the race was to ensure that Walsh was not re-elected, but she was.

According to the State Bar of Nevada website, Christopherson has been licensed to practice law in Nevada since 1989.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.