Disbarment for fund juggler

The State Bar of California has disbarred Carlsbad attorney Chris M. Rusch, who specialized in offshore tax havens. On March 18 of last year, he was sentenced to ten months in prison for helping two Arizonans hide millions of dollars in Swiss accounts.

Rusch got off easy because, according to the Department of Justice, he testified at trial, telling how he helped the two businessman sell shares of stocks through undeclared accounts. Rush also admitted that he transferred some of his clients' money back to the United States to his lawyer's trust account.

All told, Rusch helped the businessmen stash $6.6 million in the tax and secrecy haven. Rusch was recommended for disbarment, and then disbarred by the state supreme court, because he did not respond to the bar's attempts to reach him.