Category: Tax evasion investigations

Gibraltar enters Brexit negotiations

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to meet with the European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier to push for an annex addressing smuggling in the British territory, as well as cross-border workers and tax evasion. Gibraltar is also on the agenda. As for Gibraltar, however, Spain will reportedly not… – Continue reading

Can the PHL fully participate in ASEAN Taxation Cooperation?

(Second of two parts) Embracing the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI), whether in the form of FATCA and/or CRS, affects stakeholders ranging from the government and businesses down to the ordinary consumers of financial products and services. As such, the uncertainties arising from the supposed implementation are definitely not in… – Continue reading

Chasing tax evaders worldwide

Indonesia is set to join the global treaty on the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) on tax matters this month, and will then have virtually all the “high-caliber weapons” it needs to hunt down tax evaders — not just within the country but anywhere in the world, including tax-haven countries…. – Continue reading

Delhi HC upholds Income Tax Notices against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Oscar Fernandes [Read Judgment]

The Delhi High Court, last day dismissed petitions by the Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Oscar Fernandes challenging the income tax notices sent to them in connection with the National Herald case. On 16 August, the high court had reserved its verdict on the pleas of… – Continue reading

ASEAN taxation cooperation via automatic information exchange

IN 2015, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025 was adopted as part of the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together plan. This collaboration charts the broad trajectories of ASEAN economic integration from 2016 to 2025. It aims to strengthen and reinforce by 2025 these five AEC characteristics: 1. A highly… – Continue reading

PACAC Explains Why FG Turned Spotlight on Multinationals

The Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC) has explained why it is shifting the war against corruption in the country from politically exposed persons to multinationals. According to the Executive Secretary of PACAC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Africa and indeed Nigeria losses more from Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) perpetrated by multinational… – Continue reading

Blockchain Startup Smart Valor Receives Approval To Operate In Switzerland

Blockchain startup Smart Valor has announced that it received approval to operate in the Swiss financial market. Based in Switzerland’s Crypto Valley, Smart Valor is a company building a decentralized marketplace for tokenized alternative investments. Its network is coordinated by a smart-contract-based governance model, which incentivizes each participant to contribute… – Continue reading

Sweden takes measures to tackle tax evasion, financial crimes

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) — The Swedish government has proposed three new measurements to tackle aggressive tax planning, evasion and financial crimes, the Government Offices of Sweden said Tuesday. The proposals include increased international automatic information exchange, new possibilities for the Swedish Tax Agency to prevent financial crimes and tighter… – Continue reading

China Joins International Financial Data Exchange to Take on Tax Evasion

(Yicai Global) Sept. 5 — China’s tax authority will begin sharing residents’ financial investment data with around 100 countries this month in a bid to crack down on tax evasion. The State Administration of Taxation will begin exchanging data to learn more about what Chinese citizens are doing with their… – Continue reading

NBR’s transfer pricing cell remains ineffective for 5yrs

Transfer pricing cell of National Board of Revenue has remained nearly dysfunctional since its formation five years back due mainly to lack of logistic support, expert and dedicated manpower and propelling initiative of the tax authorities. The cell even could not conduct audit on any statement of international transactions of… – Continue reading

Australian PM Planning New SME Tax Changes

Australia’s new Prime Minister has said his Government is working on plans to help improve the tax competitiveness of small businesses. Former Treasurer and now Prime Minister Scott Morrison had been at the forefront of the Government’s two-year battle to pass a package of company tax cuts. He had sought… – Continue reading

Tax collection from prize money surges to Rs11.5 billion in FY2018

KARACHI: Collection of taxes on prizes and lottery winnings surged 19 percent to Rs11.5 billion during the fiscal year of 2017/18 as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) stepped up efforts to improve compliance of withholding agents, official data revealed on Saturday. The official data showed that collection of income… – Continue reading

Crypto in Israel: Deep Likelihood Analysis of Mass Adoption, Tax Evasion Issue

On Aug 26, the Jerusalem Post wrote a very good story about the chances of Israel adopting a state-backed crypto just like Venezuela did a few days ago, although for completely different reasons. While Venezuela launched the Petro recently as an outrageous Hail Mary as it faces 6-figure inflation, Israel’s… – Continue reading

Declare offshore assets or face consequences warns leading accountant

When it comes to fulfilling your tax and National Insurance (NI) obligations, compliance is everything. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has recently highlighted a new area of concern for UK taxpayers, urging those who haven’t already done so to declare any foreign income or profits on offshore assets. Taxpayers have… – Continue reading

Automatic exchange of tax evaders data from September 1: FBR

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Monday informed the task force constituted by the Prime Minister to repatriate laundered ill-gotten funds that newly installed computer software would ensure the automatic exchange of information about tax evaders with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) from September. The… – Continue reading

FIRS Publishes Nigeria’s Revised Transfer Pricing Regulations

Federal Inland Revenue Service has published Nigeria’s revised Transfer Pricing Regulations (NTPR). The NTPR is effective for basis periods commencing after 12 March 2018 and incorporates BEPS outcomes and suggestions from The African Tax Administration Forum. The NTPR includes significant penalties for non-compliance (a) failure to file TP declaration =… – Continue reading

Government approves double taxation avoidance pact with Macau

Hanoi (VNA) – The Government has approved an agreement between Vietnam and China’s Macau Special Administrative Region on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of income tax evasion. The Government assigned the Ministry of Finance to chair and coordinate the two sides’ relevant agencies to implement the pact. The… – Continue reading

IRS changes CAP program for large corporate taxpayers

The Internal Revenue Service is making some adjustments to its Compliance Assurance Process, a program aimed at large corporate taxpayers that involves cooperating with the IRS before any audits. As part of the proposed changes, the IRS said Monday it will shift the start of the application period to Oct…. – Continue reading

New Threshold Limit for Tax Cases involving Foreign Black Money

The newly revised threshold monetary limits for the department to file appeals at various levels — appellate tribunals, High Courts and the Supreme Court will not be applied in cases where foreign black money is involved, said the tax department recently. As per a CBDT missive, cases involving undisclosed foreign… – Continue reading

UK – GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES OFFICIAL GUIDANCE ON ENGAGING WITH UMBRELLA COMPANIES

The HMRC published an official guidance yesterday on engaging with umbrella companies in the UK. The guidance provides advice and spotlights umbrella companies that effectively operate tax avoidance schemes. “Most employment agencies and umbrella companies operate within the tax rules. However, some umbrella companies and agencies promote arrangements that claim… – Continue reading

EU Fails To Fix ‘Outrageous’ Monaco Loophole Which Helps Super-Rich Avoid Tax

Around 2,000 millionaires – many of them billionaires – call Monte Carlo their home and avoid paying billions of euros in tax. Sputnik spoke to the UK Socialist Party’s Deputy General Secretary, Hannah Sell, about why France and the European Union have done nothing to combat this tax haven in… – Continue reading

Government loses huge tax revenue

Ghana loses significant tax revenue through the deliberate manipulation of the tax system by big corporate entities and multinational companies, the Senior Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has said. He described the situation as worrying and tasked the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to go after those companies and prosecute them if… – Continue reading

IRS plans new tax transcript format with better security

The Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday it will provide a new format for transcripts of individual tax returns that will safeguard taxpayer data by redacting personally identifiable information from Form 1040 series returns. The new transcript format will replace the old format and will be the default format available through… – Continue reading

How to Apply for CIT Incentives in China

China offers a number of preferential corporate income tax (CIT) policies for businesses operating in the country. Businesses that qualify for these preferential policies can benefit from incentives like CIT rates lower than the standard 25 percent rate and other CIT exemptions and deductions. These preferential tax treatments, however, do… – Continue reading

Sri Lanka And Oman Sign Agreement On Avoidance Of Double Taxation, Tax Evasion

An agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion between Sri Lanka and Oman was signed during the Second Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Oman Bilateral Consultations, held on August 15, 2018 in Colombo at senior officials’ level by the leaders of the respective delegations. The Sri Lankan… – Continue reading

Switzerland forced to share information on HSBC Indian clients

Switzerland’s Supreme Court has ordered the country’s authorities to turn over information on HSBC accounts with the Indian government regarding two of its citizens. Both clients had fought the release on the grounds that India’s request for assistance in a tax-dodging probe arose from stolen bank data. The case involved… – Continue reading

Spanish Officials Lop 2 Million Euros Off Ronaldo’s Tax Evasion Settlement

In July, the 33-year-old football superstar accepted an 18.8 million euro fine and a suspended two-year prison sentence as he pleaded guilty to tax fraud in a Spanish court. According to the documents seen by El Mundo daily, football ace Cristiano Ronaldo, 33, who had to pay 18.7 million euros… – Continue reading

Over Rs35 bn laundering: CJP hints at Panama-like JIT for Zardari, Faryal

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Mian Saqib Nisar, on Monday suggested formation of a Panama-style joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the allegations against former president Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur of laundering over Rs35 billion through fake bank accounts. A three-member bench of the apex… – Continue reading

Malaysia To Phase Out ‘Harmful’ Tax Regime

Malaysia has suspended its MSC Malaysia tax regime, pending changes to bring it into line with recommendations from the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting initiative. Under the regime, domestic and foreign information and communication technology-related businesses can apply for “MSC Malaysia Status,” which allows them to benefit from tax… – Continue reading

Warning to declare foreign income before September deadline

UK taxpayers who receive any foreign income or profits from offshore assets have been urged to contact HMRC and disclose this income before 30th September 2018 to avoid being hit by higher penalties. David Redfern, tax preparation specialist and director of DSR Tax Claims, warned those affected to contact HMRC… – Continue reading

FBR to send tax notices to 600-700 potential tax evaders in UK

ISLAMABAD: After expiry of the tax amnesty scheme that had failed to lure owners of offshore assets abroad in a big way, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided dispatching tax notices to 600-700 individuals having rental income from possessing expensive properties in the UK in a bid to… – Continue reading

VN, Croatia sign agreement on double taxation avoidance

Viet Nam News HA NOI — Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Finance Do Hoang Anh Tua’n and Croatian Minister of Finance Zdravko Maric on Wednesday signed an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to income taxes. According to Tua’n, the agreement is… – Continue reading

VN-Cambodia agreement on double taxation avoidance ratified

The Government has ratified the agreement on double taxation avoidance and income tax evasion prevention between Vietnam and Cambodia. The Government assigned the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies of Vietnam and Cambodia in implementing the agreement. The agreement was officially signed on the occasion of… – Continue reading

Angola’s General Tax Administration guarantees introduction of VAT in 2019

Value Added Tax (IVA) will replace the Consumer Tax in Angola in 2019, the coordinator of the Technical Group for the Implementation of IVA, Adilson Sequeira, said according to a report published on the website of the Angolan Ministry of Finance. “The introduction of IVA is the result of a… – Continue reading

HMRC warn UK taxpayers it’s time to declare offshore assets

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging UK taxpayers to come forward and declare any foreign income or profits on offshore assets before 30 September to avoid higher tax penalties New legislation called “Requirement to Correct’ requires UK taxpayers to notify HMRC about any offshore tax liabilities relating to UK… – Continue reading

Nigeria’s Tax Law obsolete, overdue for review —Oruaze Dickson

A legal practitioner cum entrepreneur, Moses Oruaze Dickson, has called for the review of the legislative framework for tax and taxation in the country, describing the existing law as obsolete for a progressive society like Nigeria. According to Dickson, who is also Managing Solicitor, Triax Solicitors, the law is long… – Continue reading

PM asks authorities to probe tax evasion by FDI firms

Media reports have suggested the Government to build a more effective mechanism to tackle the problem that prolonged loss-making FDI enterprises have still enlarged investment and production. — Photo cafebiz.vn Viet Nam News HA NOI – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has assigned the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and General… – Continue reading

Rivers seeks support from US senators

(CNS): Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers was in Washington, DC, last week, trying to persuade US Senators and others that Cayman’s financial services industry is well regulated and adhering to tax transparency standards. Picking up from an earlier visit, the minister spoke with American lawmakers about the industry here and… – Continue reading

BEPS Project Has Triggered Near-Global Tax Reform: OECD

The OECD has committed to providing proposals to fix the taxation of the digital economy by 2020, in an update to G20 leaders on international efforts to mitigate base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). In the newly released Second Annual Progress Report of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS, the… – Continue reading

Rs. 2,476 cr collected as Tax and Penalty under Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, says MoS Shiv Pratap Shukla

The Government has collected Rs. 2,476 as Tax and Penalty under Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 said Minister of Finance for State Shiva Pratap Shukla in the Rajya Sabha. The Government of India has taken various steps for curbing the black money… – Continue reading

UK Adopts EU Anti-Money Laundering Legislation

The UK is upgrading its national security by adopting a recently implemented European Union fifth anti-money laundering directive, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announced in a statement on Tuesday. The fifth directive is aimed at combating corruption and money laundering and came into effect in the… – Continue reading

Spain’s PM Proposes Minimum Corporate Tax Burden

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pledged to reform Spain’s corporate tax rules so that companies pay an effective rate no lower than 15 percent. Laying out the new Socialist Government’s two-year economic plan before parliament on July 17, Sanchez proposed that, by restricting the use of deductions, he would… – Continue reading

CBDT Revises Form 3CD: To mine GST Data to check Tax Evasion [Read Notification]

The Central Board of Direct Taxes ( CBDT ) has revised the Form No. 3CD, an audit report under section 44AB of the Income Tax Act, 1961 in a case where the accounts of the business or profession of a person have been audited under any other law. Earlier there… – Continue reading