PRESS RELEASE

(Source : Information Services Department)

Ex-senior system engineer convicted of evading tax

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     A taxpayer was convicted today (September 4) at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts on four charges of evading property tax and salaries tax. Sentencing was adjourned to October 2 pending a community service order report.

    The defendant, aged 33, is a former senior system engineer of a bank. An investigation by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) revealed that the defendant omitted rental income of $190,800 and made false statements in connection with claims for deduction of home loan interest in the amount of $234,500 in his tax returns for the two years of assessment 2009-10 and 2010-11, contrary to section 82(1)(a) and section 82(1)(c) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (IRO) (Cap 112). The total amount of tax evaded is $25,140.

    A spokesman for the IRD reminded taxpayers that tax evasion is a criminal offence under the IRO. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for each charge is three years' imprisonment and a fine of $50,000 plus a further fine of three times the amount of tax evaded.

Ends/Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:08

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