GUELPH, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 9, 2014) - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced today that on October 6, 2014, Candiss Ashley Pettitt pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph, to one count of fraud over $5,000 under the Criminal Code of Canada. Pettitt was sentenced to a seven month jail term. In addition, the court imposed a restitution order for $20,716, which represents 100% of the unwarranted refunds Pettitt received.
A CRA investigation revealed that Pettitt, operating as S.T. Renovations, created 13 fraudulent T4 slips for 13 young people who were not employed and never performed any services for her. Pettitt then accompanied the young individuals to a tax preparer to file their personal income tax returns with the false T4 slips and have them discounted by the tax preparer. The young people would receive the refund and turn it over to Pettitt, who kept the refund and paid them $100 for their participation in the scheme. By doing so Pettitt received fraudulent Federal Income Tax refunds totaling $20,716.
The preceding information was obtained from the court records.
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 be found in the Media Room on the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/convictions.
Contact Information:
Manager, Communications
(416) 952-8096