$167,628 fine for a Sainte-Thérèse businessman found guilty of tax evasion

LAVAL, QC, May 7 /CNW Telbec/ - Gaétan Breton, of Sainte-Thérèse, was sentenced today and fined $167,628 which represents 75% of the federal income tax he tried to evade both personally and as administrator of Top Menu (1988) Inc. This fine follows a guilty plead entered by Mr. Breton on December 17, 2009, at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) investigation revealed that Gaétan Breton participated in a scheme involving a factoring business in order to avoid accounting for certain revenues. Mr. Breton voluntarily omitted to declare personal revenues of $247,750, while Top Menu (1988) Inc. voluntarily omitted to declare revenues of $652,415. This fine is in addition to the $28,143 fine he received on December 17, 2009, for a similar scheme as administrator of Top Menu Canada Inc.

In addition to the fines imposed by the Court, Mr. Breton will have to pay the full amount of taxes owing plus related interest and any penalties that apply.

The overwhelming majority of Canadians pay their taxes in full and on time. In fairness to them, the Canada Revenue Agency makes sure that people who try to avoid paying taxes are held to account.

Individuals who have not filed returns for previous years, or who have not reported all of their income, can still voluntarily correct their tax affairs. They will not be penalized or prosecuted if they make a full disclosure before the CRA takes any action or starts an investigation concerning them. These individuals will only have to pay the taxes owing, plus interest. More information on the Voluntary Disclosures Program can be found on the CRA Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/voluntarydisclosures.

The information in this news release was obtained from the Court records.

Further information on convictions can be found in the Media Room on the CRA Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/convictions.

For further information: Kareen Dionne, Communications Manager, [phone], ext. 8288, 1-800-292-3430, ext. 8288