Wire fraud law used to prosecute tax cheats
Publish date: 06 May 2005
Issue Number: 1329
Diary: Legalbrief Today
Category: Tenders
In a 5-4 decision, the US Supreme Court has ruled that people who cheat foreign governments of tax revenue can be prosecuted under US law for wire fraud.
Out-Law.com reports the court upheld the fraud convictions for three men accused of sneaking thousands of cases of whisky, vodka and rum into Canada from the US and avoiding millions in Canadian taxes. Canada did not pursue the trio for tax evasion, but American prosecutors did and they were sentenced to prison. The US wire fraud law bars the use of interstate wires, such as phones and computers, to effect any scheme to defraud. Full report in Out-Law.com
