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Two West Virginian business owners were sentenced to prison for conspiring to defraud the United States of employment and income taxes, on January 27, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia. Russell Rucker was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison, and his wife, Karen Rucker, was sentenced to six months in prison.

A federal grand jury in New Orleans, Louisiana, returned an indictment charging three Louisiana residents with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, 14 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft, on January 24, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana.

The owner of a former New York City restaurant pleaded guilty to tax evasion, on January 24, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York, and Chief of Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Jonathan D. Larsen.

A Chicago-area resident was arrested on a federal grand jury indictment charging him with mail fraud, submitting false claims to the United States for tax refunds, and aggravated identity theft, on January 23, announced Principle Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. The Jan. 16, 2020, indictment was unsealed following the arrest.

A 12-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Daniel E. Russo, a pharmacist, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, distribution and possession of oxycodone, distribution of oxycodone by a pharmacist without legitimate prescription and filing false tax returns, on January 23. Russo was arrested by federal agents and arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak. The defendant was released on a $1.5 million bond.

The Council on January 13,2020 renewed the so-called EU terrorist list, which sets out persons, groups and entities subject to restrictive measures with a view to combating terrorism. Persons, groups and entities on the list are subject to the freezing of their funds and other financial assets in the EU. It is also prohibited for EU operators to make funds and economic resources available to them.

The Legal Affairs Committee confirmed on January 9,2020 Parliament’s negotiating position on a new bill introducing EU-wide rules on collective redress.

Three members of an international conspiracy to import knock-off jewelry from the Philippines and misrepresent it as Native-American have pleaded guilty for their roles in the fraudulent scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey of the District of Arizona.

A former Los Angeles-area physician was sentenced on January 6,2020 to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for engaging in a multi-faceted Medicare fraud scheme and for illegally prescribing thousands of opioid painkillers and muscle relaxers.

The Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (CDTAs) with Cambodia and Estonia signed in June and September this year respectively came into force on December 27 and 18, 2019, respectively, after the completion of the relevant ratification procedures. The CDTAs will have effect in respect of Hong Kong tax for any taxable periods beginning on or after April 1, 2020, a Government spokesman said today on December 27.