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Publications and Press Releases :
Press Release
: News Archives
Suspended jail sentence for property owner over
tax evasion
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A property owner who had pleaded
guilty in the District Court to evading property tax was today (June
21) sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
and fined a total of $879,218, representing 200% of the tax evaded.
Mr Au Ying-too, 76, pleaded guilty
to six counts of wilfully and intentionally evading property tax
by making false statements or entries in Tax Returns - Individuals
for the six years of assessment 1993-94 to 1998-99, contrary to
section 82(1)(b) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance.
The court heard that the defendant
let his three solely owned properties - one industrial unit at Kwai
Chung and shops at To Kwa Wan and San Po Kong, and received monthly
rentals through his personal bank accounts. An investigation by
the Inland Revenue Department revealed that the defendant had understated,
in his tax returns for the six years of assessment, a total of $3,139,460
which represented about 79% of the actual rental income he received
from the three properties. The resultant tax undercharged was $439,610
which represented about 64% of the revised tax payable.
A department spokesman reminded people
that tax evasion was a criminal offence under the Inland Revenue
Ordinance. Upon conviction, the maximum sentence 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/Thursday, June 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:57
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