Tax fraud case: US-sanctioned businessman to return to court on July 8

United States sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed made his second court appearance on Thursday in relation to tax evasion and fraudulent declaration, but the matter was adjourned to July 8.
The sanctioned businessman is facing the court for allegedly falsifying the actual price on one of his luxury vehicles, a Lamborghini Roadster SVJ.
He first appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty on May 29 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to false declaration to the Guyana Revenue Authority and fraudulent tax evasion.
The first charge alleged that the 39-year-old, on or about December 7, 2020, caused to be made and subscribed a false declaration to the GRA when he stated on the GRA’s custom declaration form that the purchased amount for the Lamborghini was US$75,300, instead of the true purchase price of US$695,000.
The second charge accuses Mohamed of, on the same date, fraudulently declaring to the Revenue Authority US$75,300 as the purchase price for the luxury vehicle, thus resulting in the sum of GY$383,383,345 in taxes being evaded.
However, on Thursday, when the matter was called, the presiding magistrate had yet to rule on the submissions presented by the attorneys of both the GRA and Mohamed on the last occasion, which will determine whether or not to proceed with the trial under the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act.
It was previously reported that these charges were filed by the GRA after it obtained evidence from the United States Department of Justice (DoJ). GRA Commissioner Godfrey Statia had written the US authorities for information on the purchase of the luxury vehicle.