Sainte-Thérèse business man fined for tax evasion

ST-JÉRÔME, QC, Dec. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - Gaétan Breton, of Laval, administrator of Top Menu Canada Inc., pleaded guilty yesterday to tax fraud charges before the Court of Quebec . He was fined $28,143 , which represents 100% of the federal tax he tried to evade.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) investigation revealed that Breton toke part in a scheme involving a factoring business in order to avoid accounting certain revenues of Top Menu Canada Inc. Therefore, for the 1998 taxation year, he voluntarily omitted to declare revenues totalling $188,879 , enabling him to evade $28,143 in federal tax.

Breton is associated to Jean Guy Tardif from Anjou, who pleaded guilty last August 27th to similar accusations. Tardif was then fined $53 , 072 for voluntarily omitting to declare revenues from his personal businesses totalling $247 , 323.

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

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: Julie Pronovost, Communications Manager, [phone], ext. 8270, Toll-free: 1-800-292-3430, ext. 8270