Richmond, B.C., 'tax protester' gets 30-month sentence, $120K in fines, CRA says
A B.C. man who evaded more than $120,000 worth of taxes more than a decade ago has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, according to the Canada Revenue Agency.
Richmond resident Eric Ho, also known as Eric Siu-Kei Ho and Pat Lee, was first charged with failing to report taxable income and counselling others to commit fraud in excess of $5,000 back in 2012, the CRA said in a news release Friday.
Ho failed to attend court for his first scheduled appearance on March 5, 2012, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The CRA said he "surrendered himself to custody" on Aug. 11 of this year, more than a decade later.
The charges against Ho stem from his failure to report taxable income of $582,641 for the 2004 through 2008 tax years, according to the CRA. The agency said he evaded $122,367 in taxes as a result.
"Mr. Ho was an 'educator' with the Paradigm Education Group (Paradigm), a fraudulent scheme that counselled people across Canada to evade taxes," the CRA said in its release.
"From 2002 to 2010, Mr. Ho taught interested individuals, known as 'students,' the Paradigm theory, which is based on the faulty premise that if an individual declares themselves as a 'natural person' they do not become a taxpayer under the Income Tax Act."
Ho received income from his work with Paradigm, including from selling Paradigm DVDs, CDs and books, the CRA said.
On Oct. 6, he pleaded guilty to two of the charges against him. He was sentenced on Thursday.
In addition to the 30 months he must spend behind bars, Ho was fined 100 per cent of the amount of taxes he evaded, according to the CRA.
The agency described Ho and Paradigm as "tax protesters," a term it uses for people who use specious legal justifications to claim to be exempt from taxation.
"For those involved in tax protester schemes, the CRA will reassess income tax, charge interest and impose penalties," the CRA said. "A court can also impose a fine between 50 and 200 per cent of the tax evaded, and a jail term of up to five years for tax evasion, and up to 14 years for tax fraud."
Between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2022, a total of 15 tax protesters were convicted across Canada, according to the CRA. Courts imposed more than $1.9 million in fines against them, in total, and sentenced them to a combined 29.75 years in prison.
"In addition to the court imposed fines and/or jail sentences, convicted taxpayers have to pay the full amount of tax owing, plus related interest and any penalties assessed by the CRA," the agency said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.