Gibsons resident sentenced for income tax and GST evasion

Vancouver, British Columbia, November 16, 2015… The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced that Geoffrey Alexander de Jaray of Gibsons, British Columbia, was sentenced on October 14, 2015, in Vancouver Provincial Court. de Jaray pled guilty to one count of income tax evasion and one count of goods and services (GST) tax evasion. He was fined $160,500, representing 75% of both the federal income tax evaded and the goods and services tax (GST) he failed to remit. In addition, he was ordered to serve a conditional sentence of 24 months less one day, including 100 hours of community service.

A CRA investigation determined that de Jaray failed to report income for the 2005 to 2007 taxation years. de Jaray sold furniture from his former residence in Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau area, finding customers by advertising in a local classified ad newspaper and selling through independent retailers. Based on records from the bank, customers, and retailers who sold for de Jaray, it was determined that he failed to report $713,100 in income, evading $178,910 in federal income tax. It was also found that de Jaray failed to remit $33,991 in GST.

The preceding information was obtained from the court records.

When taxpayers are convicted of income tax evasion, they must still repay the full amount of taxes owing, plus interest and any civil penalties that may be assessed by the CRA. In addition, the court may fine them up to 200% of the taxes evaded and impose a jail term of up to five years.

If you have ever made a tax mistake or omission, the CRA is offering you a second chance to make things right through its Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP). If you make a valid disclosure before you become aware that the CRA is taking action against you, you may only have to pay the taxes owing plus interest. More information on the VDP can be found on the CRA's website at www.cra.gc.ca/voluntarydisclosures.

Further information on convictions can also be found in the Media Room on the CRA website at http://www.cra.gc.ca/convictions.

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For media information

Heidi Hofstad
Communications Manager
(604) 666- 9389

Date modified:

2015-11-23