Chapter 385: Chapter 220: Using a coupon also considered tax evasion?
In the courtroom, David looked at the still-dazed Ted and asked, “Mr. Ted, I would like to ask you, this 20 US Dollar tip, have you ever paid inco tax on it to our tax authority?”
Ted, who had co to his senses, asked in dissatisfaction, “Is there a mistake here? This 20 US Dollars was a tip given to by a custor. Are tips also considered tax evasion?”
“Mr. Ted, you are with the Human Rights Organization and should be more knowledgeable about the law than the average person. According to federal tax law, tips are included in personal inco, and moreover, whether it’s 20 US Dollars or even if it’s 1 US Dollar of inco, you have to pay inco tax to our tax authority!”
“And you neither reported it nor paid, according to our tax law’s profit regulations, it’s explicitly stated that you have committed the cri of tax evasion!” explained David calmly.
“Then Director David, by that logic, wouldn’t there be tens of millions of people in Arica who have committed the cri of tax evasion?”
Ted was visibly upset. Dammit, probably hundreds of millions of people in Arica have received tips. According to the tax authority’s laws, wouldn’t they all be guilty of tax evasion?
“You could say that, but today the one standing here is you!”
David’s words were essentially telling him that he didn’t care about others, but since your group of crazed dogs from the Human Rights Organization wanted to oppose , I’m targeting you now!
“You…”
Ted was fuming with anger, but before he could say sothing, Nicola, who was on the stage, stepped in to ask first, “Alright Ted, you only need to answer now, did you report this 20 US Dollar tip or did you pay the tax on it?”
Seeing an opportunity to deal with the opposition, Nicola spoke up a bit louder.
At this mont, Ted felt extrely aggrieved. Just because he hadn’t reported this 20 US Dollar tip and had underpaid by 2 US Dollars of tax, it had beco a reason to find him guilty, which seed preposterous.
By the way, sothing he just couldn’t figure out was how David had gotten hold of this video so quickly?
Honestly, if it weren’t for the appearance of this video, he would have forgotten that he had ever received this 20 US Dollar tip.
The two mbers of the Human Rights Organization next to Ted also started frantically reminiscing, trying to recall if they had ever received tips in their own careers.
But they soon relaxed.
One of them was a music teacher, a profession considered high-level in Arica, with no opportunities to receive tips, and this teacher was also very certain they had indeed never received any tips.
The other was a supermarket employee.
Working with the supermarket’s goods all day, they likewise had no chance of receiving tips.
And they were also certain that they hadn’t received any tips in the past three years.
Even if they had received tips three years ago,
they didn’t believe the tax authority could find this video or other evidence in such a short amount of ti!
“Your Honor, I object to this. Even if this 20 US Dollars required the paynt of taxes, my client did not have the subjective intention to evade taxes, and therefore, he should not be charged with tax evasion. I believe the post-paynt should suffice!”
Seeing Ted accused of tax evasion over this 20 US Dollars, Jeff, the lawyer sent by the Human Rights Organization, couldn’t sit still and imdiately stood up to retort.
And David turned to him, challenging, “Defense lawyer, I disagree with your viewpoint. First of all, the primary requirent to join the Human Rights Organization is to have a clear understanding of federal law. Therefore, I believe that, on a subjective level, Ted knew that this 20 US Dollars needed to have taxes paid on it, perhaps he was just hoping for a stroke of luck. Of course, if Ted admits that he’s not clear on federal law, consider my words unsaid and we’ll let this 20 US Dollars slide.”
On the surface he was saying that as long as Ted admitted he wasn’t clear on the law, they would not pursue the matter, but in reality, his words contained a hidden catch.
After all, Ted was a mber of the Human Rights Organization. If he admitted his lack of clarity on the law, that would suggest that the people in the Human Rights Organization were all legally ignorant. How could soone ignorant of the law beco an advocate for human rights?
Or fight for citizens’ rights?
And if he admitted his clear understanding of the law, then it would indirectly affirm his awareness that the 20 US Dollars needed to be taxed.
Either answer would lead to a checkmate!
Ted was no fool; he could hear the lethal intent behind David’s words, so he dared not admit his lack of clarity about the law. But if he didn’t admit it, then he would be implicitly acknowledging that he knew the 20 US Dollars needed to be taxed and chose not to pay, and the accusation of tax evasion would be confird.
At that mont, sweat began to break out on his forehead.
Seeing the situation turn dire, Jeff imdiately ca forward and whispered, “Ted, did your annual inco exceed 12,250 US Dollars?”
According to federal tax law, as long as the annual inco doesn’t exceed 12,550 US Dollars, no personal inco tax needs to be paid.
And David’s attempt to accuse Ted of tax evasion wouldn’t be valid.
Ted said bitterly, “Do you think I’m a vagrant? 12,550 is only 3.4 months’ wages…”
Jeff had guessed as much; he was just asking out of a hopeful eagerness, but his confirmation still left him with a sense of helplessness.
If the tax authority insisted on framing Ted’s 20 US Dollars as tax evasion, it might seem absurd, but legally, it stood.
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