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
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
The pros and cons of discussing mental health issues in the workplace
A group of lawyers has written what they call a groundbreaking book about how mental health is perceived in the legal profession.