Names of former politicians investigated for alleged tax evasion read into Dáil record Five former politicians named in the Dáil by Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald as having been in a dossier of alleged offshore account holders have rejected the claims. Former European commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, former Progressive Democrat… – Continue reading
Ann Lenihan says she ‘has no knowledge of account’ and questions PAC’s actions The widow of former tánaiste Brian Lenihan snr wrote to Minister for Enterprise Richard Bruton on Monday demanding access to the dossier and any documents held by his department that allege there is evidence her husband held… – Continue reading
The founder of a prominent wealth management firm says the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is noble and brave to refuse to pay his US tax bill under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (Fatca). Johnson, who was born in New York, has a US passport as well as a… – Continue reading
The new head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has faced, and survived a motion of no confidence, just weeks after taking up his role. MEPs wanted to censure the Commission, headed by the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, in the wake of revelations that multinational companies used his country… – Continue reading
Centrist parties vote down European parliament motion criticising commission president’s role in tax avoidance schemes Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, has survived a motion of censure in the European parliament brought because of his role in tax avoidance schemes. The motion brought by Britain’s Ukip, France’s Front National,… – Continue reading
Love him or hate him, you have to say that Boris Johnson makes a very good point about FATCA. Having been hit with a US tax bill due to his unwanted dual citizenship, Johnson – who is as British as they come in all fairness – says he will not… – Continue reading
Should London’s Mayor Boris Johnson pay U.S. taxes and file FBARs? Born in New York, the iconic London mayor never gave up his U.S. citizenship. But rather than quietly paying U.S. taxes, Mr. Johnson in an NPR interview called it ‘outrageous’ to tax U.S. citizens on their global income. Mayor… – Continue reading
Boris Johnson has a point about his U.S. tax bill, but he should still cough up. The London mayor objects to the fact that his dual UK and U.S. citizenship means he has been issued with an American tax bill, and he says he won’t pay. Though many U.S. expats… – Continue reading
Strasbourg, France (dpa) – European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged lawmakers on Monday to trust his determination to tackle tax avoidance, ahead of a parliamentary confidence vote related to a tax scandal in his native Luxembourg. The controversy, known as LuxLeaks, grew out of allegations by a team of investigative… – Continue reading
Should London’s Mayor pay U.S. taxes? How about filing FBARs and other forms that make it easy for the IRS to track his bank accounts? London’s Mayor Boris Johnson is English, but being born in New York means he’s American too. Turns out he never gave up his U.S. citizenship,… – Continue reading
A WHISTLEBLOWER claimed former Tanaiste Mary Harney “shut down” his investigation into allegations of offshore tax evasion after he uncovered the names of senior politicians in the Progressive Democrats, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, the Dail has heard. It is the first time Ms Harney’s party, the now defunct PDs,… – Continue reading
BJP today accused Congress leaders of generating black money in the country while referring to the matter of the alleged tax evasion by its spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi and asked Congress President Sonia Gandhi to clarify on the issue. “The issue of Singhvi is just a sample as it is only… – Continue reading
MINISTERS who were passed documentation by a whistleblower alleging widespread tax evasion by former politicians are expected to be quizzed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) about their response to the claims. Labour TD Joe Costello last night said he believed that the PAC would seek the attendance of these… – Continue reading
Civil servant alleges ‘interference with administration of justice’ Minister for Jobs and Enterprise Richard Bruton has been accused of “interference with the administration of justice” by the civil servant in his department who sent a highly controversial dossier on tax evasion to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee. The civil servant,… – Continue reading
Statement says judge could not recall account when asked by authorised officer The family of the late judge Declan Costello has said that while he had a deposit account at Guinness & Mahon bank for a brief period in the 1970s, he never held an offshore bank account. The family… – Continue reading
Cristina de Borbón could stand in the dock over claims involving husband’s charity unless special law is used to end case A Spanish court has approved charges of tax fraud against Princess Cristina de Borbón, the sister of King Felipe VI – paving the way for an unprecedented criminal trial…. – Continue reading
Bellary: While Union finance minister, Arun Jaitley has warned the Congress it could be embarrassed once the names of people holding illegal foreign accounts are made public, local mining industry sources say the BJP too could be in for some embarassment as its once powerful leader and jailed mining czar,… – Continue reading
The financial regulator said on Tuesday that it has ordered four foreign banks operating in Korea to strengthen their anti-money laundering protections. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) inspected some 60 local and foreign banks to check whether they are equipped with relevant safeguards. Among them were the Seoul branches of… – Continue reading
Tax Justice Network Africa, which campaigns against harmful tax policies that favour the wealthy and perpetuate inequality, has moved to the High Court to stop a double-taxation treaty between Kenya and Mauritius. Mauritius is a popular tax haven for companies with multinational operations, tilting scales against countries that sign bilateral… – Continue reading
Miguel Arias Cañete, the Spanish Commissioner-designate for Energy and Climate Change, has left five important questions unanswered during his confirmation hearing in the European Parliament, writes Alicia Gutiérrez. Alicia Gutiérrez is a journalist at the Spanish online media infoLibre. (Translation by Avaaz. Original version here) 1. Has Cañete had any… – Continue reading
David Beckham, cricketer David Gower and Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell are among those set to receive tax demands totalling millions of pounds after investing in potential tax avoidance projects. HM Revenue & Customs is understood to have been sending out letters to investors in film finance schemes set up by… – Continue reading
TORRIDGE and West Devon MP Geoffrey Cox has said he invested in an alleged tax avoidance scheme in good faith. A leading national newspaper claimed that Mr Cox is one of a number of top officials and celebrities investing in Phoenix Film Partners LLP. HM Revenue & Customs has moved… – Continue reading
A CONSERVATIVE MP invested in an alleged tax avoidance scheme currently under investigation by HM Revenue & Customs. Conservative Geoffrey Cox QC – a top lawyer at Thomas More Chambers – is one of 230 who put cash into Pheonix Film Partners, run by Ingenious Media, the Mirror reports. Pheonix… – Continue reading
Britain’s highest-earning MP invests in alleged tax avoidance scheme under investigation by HMRC Tory MP Geoffrey Cox is one of hundreds of wealthy figures, celebrities and sports stars putting cash into Phoenix Film Partners LLP Britain’s highest-earning MP has invested in an alleged tax avoidance scheme being investigated by officials…. – Continue reading
Scandal Is an Embarrassment to Separatists Planning Independence Referendum BARCELONA— Jordi Pujol often said he discovered his mission for Catalonia while climbing a mountain as a boy and seeing the destruction wrought by the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. Decades later, as Catalonia’s long-serving leader, Mr. Pujol presided over… – Continue reading
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A tough new ad from Democratic Sen. Al Franken accuses his Republican opponent’s business of avoiding taxes by headquartering overseas. But Republican Mike McFadden calls the ad “ridiculous” and “full of lies.” The ad marks a new Franken campaign strategy: directly attack McFadden for his business dealings…. – Continue reading
Mention financial secrecy at the dinner table ten years ago and you would most likely have been greeted with a blank stare. Tax evasion in particular was a subject matter deemed largely the preserve of accountants and frustrated FBI men seeking circuitous ways to prosecute mobsters. These days, though, the… – Continue reading
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5470f66a-32a8-11e4-a5a2-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz3CLJSNkJT The Spanish government has launched a blistering attack on Jordi Pujol, the former Catalan… – Continue reading
They say Wolf is dodging taxes by shifting money to income-tax-free Delaware. Bringing business inside Delaware’s borders is big. Sixty percent of all public companies are incorporated there – just miles from Pennsylvania. It’s also home to Weidner University’s Institute of Delaware Corporate and Business Law. Professor Lawarence Hamermesh is… – Continue reading
WASHINGTON — Two top Republican lawmakers profited from a corporate tax-avoidance maneuver that the Treasury Department is seeking to curb. While House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio, and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, Mich., have resisted calls for a crackdown on companies adopting overseas addresses to pay lower taxes,… – Continue reading
Various reporters, editorialists and politicians are clamoring for Bruce Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor of Illinois, to release more of his tax returns — specifically, the detailed schedules that accompany the “top sheets” that he already has released. They probably will be disappointed, even if Mr. Rauner complies with… – Continue reading
SRINGFIELD — Republican Bruce Rauner not only has personal investments in the Cayman Islands, but he presided over his former private equity firm as it set up other investment vehicles in the Caribbean tax haven known for its secrecy. The Chicago Sun-Times verified through the Cayman Islands’ government-run online business… – Continue reading
As one of the nation’s most competitive governor’s races picks up, voters in Illinois are hearing a whole lot about a British territory thousands of miles away in the Caribbean. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn hammered his wealthy Republican rival for days after reports that Bruce Rauner put some investments in… – Continue reading
A new Spanish game for mobile phones and tablets is giving Spaniards the chance to poke fun at a formerly revered Catalan politician who has had a rapid fall from grace. Just days after the former president of Spain’s Catalonia region Jordi Pujol shocked Spain with news that he and… – Continue reading
The son of a congressman, who could face time in prison following his federal indictment on theft and tax-fraud charges, was released on bail Tuesday afternoon. Chaka Fattah Jr., 31, is accused of everything from tax fraud to stealing from the Philadelphia School District as part of the wide-ranging indictment… – Continue reading
In a desperate bid to build pressure on firebrand cleric Tahirul Qadri, the government has issued final demand notices of Rs 1.71 billion in outstanding taxes to 16 office-bearers of the Tehreek Minhajul Quran (TMQ), including four persons of the Qadri family and two people who died several years ago,… – Continue reading
The court of Dhaka’s Special Judge Rezaul Islam set Sep 12 for witnesses’ deposition in the Tk 26.5 million tax evasion case. Babar was present at the time of hearing on Wednesday, where he had pleaded innocent. His counsel sought more time before the charge framing but the judge rejected… – Continue reading
Illinois gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner (R) made part of his fortune from investments in a Caribbean tax haven, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. But because Rauner won’t release details on his tax filings it is impossible to tell just how much of his wealth comes from those offshore accounts. The newspaper… – Continue reading
Ex-Catalan premier Jordi Pujol is to be stripped of his honorary privileges after admitting to 34-years’ worth of tax evasion. He ruled the region for 23 years and as such earns an annual pension of over 86,000 euro; has an official car; and is honorary president of the CDC pro-independence… – Continue reading
A former Croatian deputy tourism minister Vinka Cetinski and her husband Mirko Cetinski, a one-time famous singer, were arrested on Tuesday night on suspicion of tax evasion and are to be transferred to custody in Rijeka on Wednesday, the national broadcaster (HTV) reported on Tuesday night. The Cetinski couple is… – Continue reading
Pakistan Awami Tehreek Dr Tahirul Qadri and office-bearers of his Tehreek Minhajul Quran are staring at legal trouble as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has finalised all the paperwork to implicate the reformist cleric and his aides in a Rs770 million tax evasion case against them, a local media… – Continue reading
Andrea Leadsom, a high-flying Treasury minister, received more than £70,000 from a family business, the parent company of which is controlled out of the Virgin Islands tax haven. The payments, which appear to be within the letter of the rules for political donations, have been criticised because of the contrast… – Continue reading
QCs doctors, pop stars and others have been caught up in a major tax avoidance plan in the UK, which have included former UK-based and now Wellington City CEO Kevin Lavery. Mr Lavery formerly worked as chief executiv e of the Cornwall Council and invested £1.2m according to the documents… – Continue reading
A rights group is suing Nigeria’s president and attorney general for dropping corruption charges against the son of the former military dictator accused of helping to launder millions in stolen funds. The government last month withdrew charges against Mohammad Abacha in a deal that saw $227 million looted by Gen…. – Continue reading
Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s second-richest parliamentarian, has invested in a ”vulture fund” based in the tax haven Cayman Islands. Disclosure of what appears to be a $1 million stake in a New York-run fund targeting distressed and bankrupt companies sparked criticism from financial transparency campaigners on Thursday. They argue the Communications… – Continue reading
A White Plains federal grand jury has indicted state Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, on a charge of lying to federal agents, and his son, Westchester County attorney Matthew Libous, on charges of tax evasion, it was announced Tuesday. Thomas Libous, who represents a district that includes Broome, Chenango, Delaware and… – Continue reading
A federal appeals court has upheld the tax-evasion conviction of a once-influential Chicago Democrat. Monday’s 26-page ruling from a three-judge panel is at least partly academic. Last month, former Cook County Commissioner William Beavers completed his six-month prison term for failing to declare campaign cash he used to gamble. His… – Continue reading
An oldie-but-goodie tax strategy is back in the limelight thanks to the Clintons’ much-publicized attempts to soften the blow of estate and gift taxes. The qualified personal residence trust is back. Bill and Hillary Clinton are making headlines for their use of the qualified personal residence trust or QPRT —… – Continue reading
While both major candidates for U.S. Senate in West Virginia have accepted donations from big corporations accused of using offshore tax havens, some of those corporations have been significant contributors to Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, not just this year but through her entire political career. Major American companies avoid paying… – Continue reading
A Moscow City Hall official confronted with allegations of illegal business activity has sued his accuser, whistle-blowing blogger and opposition activist Alexei Navalny. Deputy Mayor Maxim Liksutov, who oversees transportation in Moscow, announced via Facebook on Thursday that he had sued Navalny for an unspecified sum. Data made publicly available… – Continue reading
