Swift Current woman fined $42,000 for tax evasion

Regina, Saskatchewan, November 26, 2009… The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced today that Bozena Danuta Ziomek, 41, of Swift Current, pleaded guilty in Swift Current Provincial Court to tax evasion and was fined $42,000.  The fine was paid at the time of sentencing.

Mrs. Ziomek was married to an executive of a southern Saskatchewan grain business.  She had a contract with this business to arrange rail car deliveries for farmers. She earned $208,081 for her services between 2002 and 2006 but did not report the income on her tax returns, thereby evading $27,004 in personal income taxes.  She also failed to remit goods and services taxes totalling $15,190 between 2002 and 2007.  In addition to the court fines, she must still pay the outstanding taxes plus penalties and interest.

Mrs. Ziomek learned that the CRA was conducting a routine audit of the grain business and that it could expose her contract income.  Three weeks after the auditor contacted the business, she made a voluntary disclosure to CRA to declare her unreported income and unremitted GST. However, this violated the terms of CRA’s Voluntary Disclosure Program because the audit was already in progress. She was subsequently charged with tax evasion.

Businesses or 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 Agency starts any action or investigation against them. These individuals may only have to pay the taxes owing, plus interest. More information on the Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) can be found on the CRA's website at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/voluntarydisclosures/index.html.