Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), through its Legal Support Division, successfully prosecuted Manchester businessman Wen-Jun Kong recently, resulting in a one-year suspended prison sentence and a multi-million dollar fine being imposed on him.
In a release, TAJ said the convictions resulted from the businessman breaching Section 99 of the Income Tax Act (ITA), which deals with cheating the public revenue at common law.
The agency said Wen-Jun Kong was convicted on June 1, 2022 on three counts of tax evasion, and fined $1 million on each count, or six months in prison for tax evasion by making false declarations, and was given a one-year in prison sentence (suspended) for cheating the public revenue at common law.
The release said the 41 year old businessman is a shareholder and director of R&R Xpress Company Limited, which operates in Manchester. Kong was convicted on three counts of making a false statement to the TAJ in relation to income tax returns he filed for the period of 2012 –2014.
He was also convicted on two counts of cheating the public revenue after R&R Xpress failed to deliver, or cause to be delivered to the commissioner general of the TAJ, a true and correct tax return for the years of assessment, 2012-2014.
The agency said the operation to arrest and charge Wong in November 2016, was jointly executed by TAJ’ Intelligence Investigation and Enforcement Unit, the Financial Investigations Division (FID), police officers attached to the Constabulary Financial Unit, and the Mandeville police. The charges were laid after a two-year joint investigation by the FID and TAJ.
Delinquent taxpayers are strongly advised that failure to report in full, income, profits or gains as defined within the Income Tax Act, will result in enforcement action by TAJ, using the applicable provisions under the law.
Persons may get further information on the tax law and any other tax-related matter by contacting the TAJ Customer Care Centre at 888-TAX-HELP (888-829-4357) or the nearest tax office.