American Sought For Tax Evasion Arrested In Bangkok

[george]

American sought for tax evasion arrested in Bangkok

Published on August 1, 2011

BANGKOK: -- Thai police have arrested an American, who is wanted in the US for tax evasion, for overstaying visa.

Police held a press conference Monday afternoon to announce the arrest of Russell Sherman Broadwell, 61, at the Crime Suppression Division head office.

He was arrested in front of a Bangkok hotel in Vadhana district.

Police said Broadwell had been convicted in tax evasion wroth US$45,000 in 1995 but he and his Vietnamese wife fled to Thailand.

-- The Nation 2011-08-01

[chooka]

45,000 wow the BIB have really netted a big fish here and they hold a press conference to celebrate. Did they track him down all on thier own.

[nycpal44]

He should have stayed in Vietnam. I am happy to know that Thailand is getting rid of one more criminal on the run.

[DP25]

Police said Broadwell had been convicted in tax evasion wroth US$45,000 in 1995 but he and his Vietnamese wife fled to Thailand.

Only evaded $45,000? He probably didn't realize you could be arrested for that in Thailand

[hehehoho]

45,000 wow the BIB have really netted a big fish here and they hold a press conference to celebrate. Did they track him down all on thier own.

Still, you could probably buy a couple of US states for that nowadays.

[TAWP]

US$45,000. 16 years ago.

Was he arrested after a tip-off? He was on overstay, that is established...but for how long?

[PoorSucker]

It's nice to the see the priority.

Tax evasion against phedofiliacs and drugs dealers.

Tax evasion should be a Olympic sport.

Why should they pay US$45,000 if they never again going to live in that country again.

Edited August 1, 2011 by PoorSucker

[MickA]

Make him pay! That should go a long way to sort out the US financial problems .... not

[Phatcharanan]

Great news!

I feel safer already.

[rotary]

Looks like the US govt has their priority in the wrong order.

It sounds like a bad joke to me from the US government. They should be ashamed.

[55Jay]

Obama reorganized the Internal Revenue Service to, among other things, put more scrutiny on overseas citizens. I thought they were after big fish, or at least they should be, in that priority order, but $45,000? Wow. They are trying to send a message for sure.

Edited August 1, 2011 by 55Jay

[Nisa]

Owing $45k in taxes is not a crime. Unless you purposely defrauded the government. My guess is this guy maybe owned a small business and was collecting sales tax and not forwarding it to the government and or deducting taxes from employees wages and not forwarding it to the government but even then he would be given an opportunity to pay and make payment as opposed to being prosecuted.

Stealing or defrauding anybody of $45k ($65k in today's world) is not a minor infraction.

Tax evasion is not simply owing taxes ... it means you stole money that belonged to the Government/ Citizens of the US.

With that said, it would not be illogical to assume there is more to this story or that this guy is being looked at for other things or he really pissed somebody off.

[MILT]

He should have stayed in Vietnam. I am happy to know that Thailand is getting rid of one more criminal on the run.

Criminal?

[bkkjames]

So I guess this means the us debt situation is now under control.

[zydeco]

So, the guy evaded taxes and fled to Vietnam. Just think. Had he evaded taxes and remained in the United States, he might have become Secretary of the Treasury, just like Tim Geithner.

[tominbkk]

Nice to see they are arresting people who owe a small amount of of back taxes from other countries, while offering up MP positions to a convicted terrorist who spent 6 weeks threatening to rouse his followers to burn down Bangkok, invade hospitals and threatened to murder patients, and threatened to tip over skytrain carriages. Glad to see they have their priorities straight!!!

[SteeleJoe]

All this talk of US or Thai priorities makes no sense.

1) The US didn't arrest him, the Thais did.

2) He was wanted on presumably legitimate charges.

3) The Thais happened to have found this guy (through one means or another -- unlikely it was an investigation rather tha a tip-off or happenstance) and arrested him.

4) I think it's a safe bet that this didn't happen:

Thais: "We've got pedophiles, drug dealers, guys who have defrauded the government for millions or this guy who owed $45,000. Which do you want?"

US: "We'll take that last guy you mentioned. Never mind about the others."

Unless you have reason to believe the Thais and/or the US went after this guy instead of a more serious offender, or you think that only certain wanted people should be arrested and returned but not others (a position I'd like to see defended), I don't see any logical reason to complain about this arrest.

Thai and/or US bashers might want to be a bit more judicious about what they choose to complain about if they care about their credibility or intellectual integrity - it's not like there aren't plenty of legitimate gripes.

Edited August 2, 2011 by SteeleJoe

[prvtdetdave]

I have to agree with Steele Joe.

Also in case anyone is thinking statue of limitations applies, it does not.

Only if he remained in the US and avoided arrest would it apply.

[kanderson]

Owing $45k in taxes is not a crime. Unless you purposely defrauded the government. My guess is this guy maybe owned a small business and was collecting sales tax and not forwarding it to the government and or deducting taxes from employees wages and not forwarding it to the government but even then he would be given an opportunity to pay and make payment as opposed to being prosecuted.

Stealing or defrauding anybody of $45k ($65k in today's world) is not a minor infraction.

Tax evasion is not simply owing taxes ... it means you stole money that belonged to the Government/ Citizens of the US.

With that said, it would not be illogical to assume there is more to this story or that this guy is being looked at for other things or he really pissed somebody off.

Back in the 1995 era of the IRS - there were problems with weird agent behavior. I personally experienced the same thing - Audit and a $36,000 evaluation.

I stayed and visited the IRS office for years to clear it up.

I could see why 99% of people would either pay or move. The only reason I could "hack it" is because of my accounting background.

I am pretty sure I had the edge over the IRS agents as far as education and self study.

This TAX authority - the IRS - is known to make mistakes (many stories from this era - 1995). They made efforts to correct the problems (they said).

I wonder if all the horror stories concerning the IRS hasn't had an affect on the proliferation of small business = the down turned economy.

The guy probably started a small business - hired employees. Even back in the 90's small business is nearly domed to failure. Imagine now days.

I hate to send my Son to accounting school - it was soooo boring.

I hope the message is not: be afraid, don't start a new business.

Anyway - $45,000 in tax evation must be the smallest number possible. Sadly - it is possible.

Must have been the overstay - not the IRS.

.

[jackdawson]

great bust

wonder what the penalties and interest are on not paying what u owe in taxes for 16 years ?

[samran]

tough crowd....

whinging at the authorities for doing their job.

What a cynical ungrateful bunch you are.

[chooka]

US$45,000. 16 years ago.

Was he arrested after a tip-off? He was on overstay, that is established...but for how long?

Maybe the BIB have taken to doing random stops and checks on farangs walking the streets. You could be walking around the corner and be confronted with a footpath blocked by the BIB checking farangs.

[kanderson]

great bust

wonder what the penalties and interest are on not paying what u owe in taxes for 16 years ?

I ended up owing zero. It was exuberounce (SP) on the IRS's part.

Anyway - the guy overstayed = gone-ski

Often when your small business is failing - you wind things down - and end up broke.

It doens't mean his goal was Tax Evasion.

All IRS agents should be up to date on this by now.

We don't hear the horror stories about the IRS like we used to - back around 1995.

Most accountants agree - you need to start more that 9 businesses for a statistical chance at one success.

It's the supression of entroprunurial spirit that worries me.

I guess we all have to be accounting and legal experts to start a business. I feel it's gone too far.

so - get a good education - at least as good as your IRS agent.

I'm pretty sure the IRS has improved their image over the last 15 years though.

[OzMick]

Looks like the passport/visa reporting at his hotel might have hit a match at Immigration. when you think of the thousands of numbers to be entered every day, they have to get lucky occasionally.

But look on the bright side. The US is likely to offer him a free ticket home, more than they will do for most citizens. And if he converted his ill-gotten gains to one of the better performing currencies, he should be able to convert back to US$, pay his debt, and have a nice little earner for himself. About 50% if he went Aussie.

[crusader79]

We don't hear the horror stories about the IRS like we used to - back around 1995.

I don't know, this story was pretty outrageous:

http://www.nytimes.c...nted=1&src=tptw

[Declan]

Yet another criminal mastermind off the streets, well done guys, seems like some sort of accidental arrest. Given all the fanfare etc., cumulative cost for this arrest must be huge not to mention the ongoing costs. Give us a break guys, go after the weirdos and real criminals.

[LJW]

According to them, I owe more than 100,000 dollars, I better keep a low profile

[PoorSucker]

According to them, I owe more than 100,000 dollars, I better keep a low profile

To late, IRS is monitoring this site.

They have spent $2.000.000 so far tying to catch you.

[a99az]

He should have stayed in Vietnam. I am happy to know that Thailand is getting rid of one more criminal on the run.

I feel so safe now, knowing that a hardened criminal is locked up, don't you? Now where did I put my Tax return form!

[Nisa]

I have to agree with Steele Joe.

Also in case anyone is thinking statue of limitations applies, it does not.

Only if he remained in the US and avoided arrest would it apply.

Actually Statue of Limitations only apply when you have not been arrested or indicted. In other words if stealing a car has a statue of limitations of 4-years and you steal a car and are never accused of the crime then you can come back after 4 years (regardless of where you are) and tell everyone you did this crime without fear of arrest. But if you had been arrested or indicted after stealing the car or charges were filed for your arrest, there is no statue of limitations. In fact, this person can and likely will be charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution if he was previously indicted which I am sure he was since the Statue of Limitations for Tax Evasion is 6-years.