Can Tax Evasion be Punished by Death Penalty? It Can in China

by Brian Mahany

It's a rainy day in Macau, a former Portuguese island colony off the coast of China. My work as an asset protection and asset (fraud) recovery lawyer frequently takes me to interesting spots in the world. This week is no exception.

Many nations are popular for Americans seeking to diversify their banking risks and protect their assets from creditors. Some Americans flee to foreign lands to avoid extradition on tax evasion charges. Two years ago I defended an individual kidnapped from Panama back to the U.S. to face such charges. No nation is as extreme as China, however, in its zeal to prosecute tax cheats.

Most civilized countries do not criminalize violations of the tax code. The U.S., of course, is an exception. Fail to pay your taxes in most nations and the tax authorities might be able to take your home, take your car, seize your bank account and maybe even take away your livelihood. But in most nations, they can't take away your freedom. The United States and China are not so progressive.

The headline in the Macau Post today is China's plan to scrap the death penalty for economic crimes. According to Amnesty International, the Chinese courts execute more people than the rest of the world. Some estimate over 5,000 yearly.

Presently an incredible 68 offenses carry the death penalty in China. Included are such crimes as murder and robbery to drug trafficking to tax evasion. That's right, tax evasion can land you in front of a firing squad in China.

The U.S. may be more zealous than most other nations in prosecuting tax cheats but only China can give the death penalty for such an offense, although that is likely to change.

Failing to file returns, pay taxes or filing false returns is risky business. Defrauding Uncle Sam will not subject you to the death penalty but it may land you in jail.

For those tax cheats seeking exile in Macau, don't worry. The death penalty has long been abolished here. In addition, there is no formal treaty governing extradition for tax cheats, although as western money pours into Macau, so does the reach and influence of Uncle Sam.

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MahanyLaw helps people with tax compliance, IRS collection and criminal tax problems. We can often help those with serious histories of tax problems avoid prosecution and avoid jail.

For a no obligation consultation, contact attorney Brian Mahany directly at (414) 704-6731 or by email at brian@mahanylaw.com. Our services are provided throughout the United States from our offices in Milwaukee and Portland. Concentrating in tax, asset recovery and fraud recovery, we are your one stop for helping you keep your hard-earned money.