CONCORD — The trial for Paul Loch, an Exeter chiropractor charged with federal tax evasion, bank fraud and knowingly filing false tax returns, has been extended upon his request.

A two-week trial was scheduled to begin today, Sept. 15 in U.S. District Court in Concord but Loch filed a motion through his attorney to continue the trial for 90 days.

According to court records, Loch’s defense counsel has hired a forensic accountant to review information in the case. Loch’s counsel claims additional time is required for the forensic accountant to review the information and generate a report to assist the defense in its investigation and trial preparation, court records say.

Attorneys representing the state of New Hampshire agreed to the granting of the motion and subsequently the court granted the motion postponing the trial. The trial has been rescheduled for the December 2009 trial period.

“The court finds that the ends of justice served by granting a continuance outweigh the best interest of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial,” the court record states, “in that failure to grant a continuance would unreasonably deny the defendant the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation taking into account the exercise of due diligence under the circumstances.”

Loch was indicted and arraigned on the charges in April 2009. He is charged with evading the payment of his individual income taxes for 1996 and 1997 allegedly by filing false amended returns, concealing from the Internal Revenue Service the nature and extent of his assets, placing funds and properties in other names and paying creditors instead of the government.

Full story