Category: Tax evasion investigations

Tax raids end in Madhya Pradesh, Bengaluru; Rs 100 crore tax evasion, 12 bogus companies detected

The searches which started at the locations pertaining to the Bhopal-based Asnani Group and its business associates have led to the disclosure of around Rs 100 crores undisclosed income. BHOPAL: Five day long searches at 30 premises related to a Madhya Pradesh-based real estate major and business associates in Bhopal,… – Continue reading

Banks given 15 days to share foreigners’ data with FBR under OECD obligations

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has given a 15-day timeline to banks and brokerages to furnish financial data of foreign customers as the country signed in an international convention for information exchange to curb tax evasion, officials said on Wednesday. The officials said FBR directed financial institutions, including… – Continue reading

Wary Pak not acting against tax evading Chinese firm

Islamabad: Pakistan customs officials are reportedly reluctant to file a criminal case against a Chinese company for evading taxes due to what they described as “national interests”. According to the Express Tribune, sensitivities related to the over USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, is preventing customs from filing… – Continue reading

World Bank urges Uganda to improve taxation to finance development, sustain growth

KAMPALA, May 16 (Xinhua) — The World Bank in its new report has urged Uganda to improve its tax revenue if the east African country is to sustain economic growth. The Bank in its 11th Uganda Economic Update issued on Tuesday said while the economic growth has rebounded from 4.5… – Continue reading

Moon Orders Joint Probe Team on Offshore Tax Evasion

President Moon Jae-in has criticized tax evasion as an antisocial act that undermines social fairness and justice. He called on related agencies to form a joint investigation team and draft cooperative measures against attempts to evade tax through illegal concealment of assets overseas. Chairing a meeting with his top aides… – Continue reading

New tax law aims to combat tax evasion, enhance collection — Hassan

Minister says gov’t ‘open’ to dialogue with all segments of society over new law AMMAN — The new amendments to Income Tax Law aim at serving taxpayers and “effectively” combating tax evasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Jafar Hassan said on Tuesday. During a discussion… – Continue reading

Thailand: Legal Framework For Cryptocurrencies Comes Into Force

A regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies has come into effect by royal decree in Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported Sunday, May 13. The 100-section law, published yesterday in the country’s Royal Gazette, defines cryptocurrencies as “digital assets and digital tokens,” and brings them under the regulatory jurisdiction of the Thai Security… – Continue reading

14 whistleblowers get N439m reward from FG

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has disclosed that the Federal Government paid N439.3 million to fourteen whistleblowers who gave vital information in the recovery of billions of Naira and some millions in hard currency from some corporate tax evaders. While she did not name the offending companies, Adeosun told… – Continue reading

Rappler hits BIR for ‘selective justice’ in tax evasion case

(UPDATED) Rappler Holdings Corporation and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa file a joint counter-affidavit at the DOJ in relation to the P133-million tax evasion complaint filed by the BIR MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Rappler Holdings Corporation (RHC) and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa accused the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) of “selective… – Continue reading

New UK Law May Shut Down the Biggest Tax Havens — Aside from the U.S.

The United Kingdom’s parliament has enacted a new law requiring its overseas territories — which include notorious tax havens like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands — to start disclosing by 2020 the owners of corporations they register. This could shut down a huge amount of offshore… – Continue reading

Dpm Pledges ‘Most Stringent Controls’ On Ownership Registry

THE Deputy Prime Minister yesterday promised that the proposed Beneficial Ownership registry will have “the most stringent controls”, amid industry concerns over the lack of prior consultation. K P Turnquest told Tribune Business that it was “not an unreasonable guess” to suggest that the Bahamas would follow the Cayman Islands’… – Continue reading

Voices The IRS is taking off its velvet gloves for offshore holdings

Ferreting out people who want to hide their assets and income overseas is nothing new for the Internal Revenue Service. And for roughly nine years, the agency has sponsored programs tailored to those taxpayers who were prepared to come forward and disclose their unreported foreign assets and income in exchange… – Continue reading

Four years of monitoring have crushed tax fraud in Indiana

Officials say fraudulent claims fell off quickly after new technologies took the state off attackers’ easy-target list. With tax season comes attempted fraud, as crooks use false identities to try to trick all levels of government into sending them refund checks. There are ways to fight back, though, and Indiana… – Continue reading

Government spots 645 firms to probe tax issues of non-residents

KARACHI: Authorities have spotted more than 600 local firms to investigate the tax status and gather other financial information of non-residents, as new rules on data sharing, under an international treaty, kicked in to fight tax evasion, officials said on Friday. The officials said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)… – Continue reading

Tax outflows, debt cripples Malawi’s growth

Malawi is struggling to address loss of revenues due to smuggling of minerals, unregulated artisanal and small-scale mining activities, under declaration of taxable income and transfer mispricing by mining companies. Reserve Bank of Malawi statistics show that Malawi lost $980 million (MWK78 billion) between 2010 and 2017 due to foreign… – Continue reading

Kosovo Tax Administration uncovers evasion scheme in the north

Kosovo Tax Administration inspectors have discovered a tax evasion scheme involving multiple businesses in northern and southern Kosovo. The Kosovo Tax Administration, ATK, has uncovered a network of Albanian and Serb businesses collaborating in a tax evasion scheme, suspected to have emptied the public purse of millions of euros. Raiding… – Continue reading

Macao, Vietnam sign agreement to avoid double taxation, prevent tax evasion

MACAO, April 16 (Xinhua) — An agreement was signed between China’s Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Vietnam to avoid double taxation as well as prevent tax evasion, according to a press release by the Macao SAR’s financial service department on Monday. The agreement, signed by Macao SAR Secretary for… – Continue reading

Assam: CBI arrests IT Commissioner in connection to tax evasion case

Guwahati The CBI has arrested Swetabh Suman, Commissioner of Income Tax (Audit), Guwahati, Assam from Delhi in connection with a case of tax evasion and criminal conspiracy. The central agency has registered a case against the arrested Commissioner of Income Tax. Similar procedures have been initiated against Income Tax Officer… – Continue reading

Bitfinex denies links to Colombian drug money

Assets seized by Polish police are reportedly linked to the cryptocurrency exchange’s account in the country. Following a couple of days of rumours, Bitfinex – currently the fifth largest cryptocurrency exchange based on volume, according to Coinmarketcap – has been moved to deny it is embroiled in an investigation regarding… – Continue reading

Singapore activates three new Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information relationships

AEOI deals with the challenge of taxpayers operating cross-border but tax administrations remaining confined to their national borders, by providing an open international architecture. Singapore has activated three new Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (AEOI) relationships under the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) on Automatic Exchange of Financial Account… – Continue reading

Legal notice seeking action against Google, YouTube, Facebook for ‘tax evasion’

The lawyers want the global companies to send back 10 years of unpaid taxes to Bangladesh A group of lawyers have sent a legal notice to Google, Facebook, Yahoo and YouTube, as well as several government bodies, seeking action against ‘tax evasion’ by these companies. Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Humayun… – Continue reading

Activists stage ‘die-ins’ at French Apple stores to protest impact of tax avoidance on social services

The Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and Citizen’s Action —or Attac for short —staged “die-in” protests at two French Apple stores on Saturday, once again charging the company with exploiting loopholes to avoid paying its fair share of taxes. Around 70 members participated in an action at the… – Continue reading

Tax havens: Belgium less transparent on exchange of information

Belgium’s rating has deteriorated with regard to the exchange of information needed in the fight against tax havens, according to the latest peer review report by the Global Forum on Transparency within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Belgium is now “largely compliant” with international… – Continue reading

Cayman Guides On Compliance With CbC Reporting, FATCA, CRS

The Cayman Islands has released new guidance on the obligation on large multinational groups to file a country-by-country report in the territory and also an update on Common Reporting Standard and US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act reporting. CbC Reporting Guidance The March 29 guidance from the Cayman Islands’ Department… – Continue reading

Spanish Tax Authority Set for Showdown Over Crypto Tax Evasion

The Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria (AEAT), more commonly known as the Agencia Tributaria, the tax agency of the Spanish government is set to take a hard-line stance on what it suspects to be tax evasion activities aided and abetted by cryptocurrencies. The move comes as yet another chapter in… – Continue reading

ZRA commended for exposing the tax evasion scam

The Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) has commended the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) for exposing the tax evasion scam worth K76.5 billion in the extractive sector. The center has also welcomed intentions by the authority to undertake an extensive audit of mining companies. CTPD Executive Director Isaac Mwaipopo… – Continue reading

Indonesia Goes Hi-Tech in Hunt for Tax Assets After Amnesty

Jakarta. Indonesia’s tax office plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to update its outdated technology to boost low tax compliance and raise revenue collection in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, the country’s tax chief told Reuters. Indonesia completed one of the world’s most successful tax amnesties in 2017, but… – Continue reading

IRS To Close Door On OVDP For Offshore Tax Dodgers

US taxpayers who have failed to declare their offshore money will lose the chance to confess to the Internal Revenue Service later this year. The IRS has announced that the Overseas Voluntary Disclosure Program will close on September 28. In the 10 years the OVDP has run, 56,000 taxpayers have… – Continue reading

Court classifies medical firm tax planning as evasion

Tax authorities reviewed a case in which a doctor worked at a limited partnership firm and was paid via a limited liability company. The court described the arrangements as tax evasion. Many professionals would prefer to pay taxes on capital income because the tax burden is lighter than on earned… – Continue reading

VAT compliance driving digital capabilities in the GCC

Muscat: Tax authorities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are starting to use sophisticated digital platforms that require taxpayers to submit data in real time or near-real time prompting companies in the GCC to enhance their digital capabilities. This is changing the way businesses collect, format and report tax information,… – Continue reading

Kazakhstan May Ban Cryptocurrencies Citing Money-Laundering Concerns

Kazakhstan’s National Bank is considering banning cryptocurrency use, exchanges, and mining, saying virtual currencies are an ideal vehicle for fraud, money-laundering, and tax evasion. “In Kazakhstan, the National Bank is taking a very conservative approach toward the matter, and it welcomes nothing but extremely tough restrictions,” Daniyar Akishev, the chairman… – Continue reading

Thai Finance Ministry Releases Final Version Of Cryptocurrency Tax Framework

Thailand’s awaited tax framework for cryptocurrencies has been announced this week by the Thai Finance Minister, local news outlet Nikkei Asian Review reported Friday, March 30. Apisak Tantivorawong reported during a March 27 cabinet meeting that crypto trades will be taxed with a 7 percent value added tax (VAT), and… – Continue reading

Kazakhstan ratifies double taxation protocol with Belarus

ASTANA, 29 March (BelTA-Kazinform) – The Senate (upper house) of the Parliament of Kazakhstan passed the law on the ratification of the protocol between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on amendments and additions to the agreement on the avoidance of… – Continue reading

Decade in jail for Australia’s biggest tax fraud

A former Gold Coast property developer has been jailed for more than a decade in the largest prosecuted tax fraud case in Australia’s history. Glitter Strip businessman Michael Issakidis was sentenced to 10 years and three months in prison by the Supreme Court of New South Wales for his involvement… – Continue reading

Australian Tax Office Seeks Input On Cryptocurrency Tax Obligations

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has launched a community consultation to seek feedback on practical compliance issues arising from complying with taxation obligations in relation to cryptocurrency transactions. On March 13, the ATO updated its web guidance tax treatment of cryptocurrencies to address some of the common enquiries in relation… – Continue reading

UK Parliament Opens Three Probes Into £12.6 Bln of Under-Collected VAT

British lawmakers are shifting their focus towards the offshores and tax havens detailed in the Panama and Paradise papers, in order to improve tax collection, curb multinationals’ tax avoidance practices, and track the money flows of ill-gotten gains. Kristian Rouz — Members of Parliament (MPs) are set to investigate the… – Continue reading