Law Enforcement | WPN World People News

A Shreveport, Louisiana, business owner pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns, on December 3, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph of the Western District of Louisiana.

A spokesman for the Government announced on November 25 that Hong Kong and Macao have signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation arrangement (Arrangement), signifying enhanced tax co-operation between Hong Kong and Macao.

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service on November 22 issued final regulations confirming that individuals taking advantage of the increased gift and estate tax exclusion amounts in effect from 2018 to 2025 will not be adversely impacted after 2025 when the exclusion amount is scheduled to drop to pre-2018 levels.

The average tax-to-GDP ratio for the 26 countries participating in the new edition of Revenue Statistics in Africa was unchanged at 17.2% for the third consecutive year in 2017. This was lower than the averages for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) at 22.8% and for the OECD at 34.2%, underlining the need for urgent action to enhance domestic revenue mobilisation in Africa.

A Long Island, New York, business owner was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for tax evasion, on November 21, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

An indictment was unsealed charging a former chief executive officer (CEO) of Braskem S.A. (Braskem), on November 20, a publicly traded Brazilian petrochemical company, for his role in a massive bribery and money laundering scheme involving Braskem and its parent company, Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), that resulted in the diversion of hundreds of millions of dollars from Braskem into a secret slush fund that was used, in part, to pay bribes to government officials, political parties and others in Brazil to obtain and retain business.

A federal jury in Denver, Colorado, found Martin Fields guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, making false claims against the United States, and money laundering, on November 19, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

A Columbus businessman pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, on November 19, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers of the Southern District of Ohio.

The Management Board of EUIPO has approved the Strategic Plan 2025 of the Office during the Management Board and Budget Committee round of meetings from 19-21 November.

-Anna-Maja Henriksson, Finnish minister of justice