Ministry of Revenue

Corporation Files False Tax Returns for Five Years

Director and Corporation Ordered To Pay Fines Of $207,000

    WHITBY, ON, Oct. 17 — A Howe Island fine art wholesaler filed false
corporations tax returns between 1998 and 2002 and failed to pay more than
$200,000 in tax.
    On September 11, 2007, Van Lotz Publishing Inc., located near Kingston,
was convicted of making a false or deceptive statement in the corporation tax
return for the year 2000 in the amount of $207,274.34. The corporation's sole
director, Karen Somerville, was convicted of directing the offence.
    Somerville was fined $80,000 for her role and must pay a surcharge of
$20,000 to the Victims' Justice Fund. The corporation must pay $127,000 plus a
Victims' Justice Fund surcharge of $31,750. The total court-imposed fines and
surcharges for both parties were $258,750.
    In addition to court-imposed fines and surcharges, businesses convicted
of tax offences must repay any taxes owing, plus civil negligence penalties
and interest.
    The Ministry of Revenue operates a voluntary disclosure program.
Corporations and individuals may come forward and voluntarily report past
violations of provincial tax laws and pay any amounts owing. Prosecution and
civil negligence penalties are waived in such cases. To qualify for immunity
from prosecution and penalties, a disclosure must be truly voluntary - it
cannot be prompted by a request for access to a taxpayer's business records or
other ministry enforcement action.

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                 For more information visit www.rev.gov.on.ca
    

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