The Supremely-Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor, whose members fled Canada before the authorities were able to take away all their children, has now been accused by , the Canada Revenue Agency of tax dodging.
The tax agency says the group used charities to evade $4.4 million in Quebec taxes, according to Federal Court documents obtained by QMI Agency and published in the Toronto Sun. The Canada Revenue Agency also says some of the group’s tax documents, including donation receipts, have been forged.
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Altogether, some 200 members have fled to Guatemala from Chatham, Ontario, this year, taking with them their children whom the Quebec authorities were in the process of removing on charges of abuse.
The Canada Revenue Agency cited Congregation Riminov, the group’s Quebec-based charity, as the tax offender.
Congregation Riminov didn’t provide documentation the tax agency requested in a 2007 audit, according to court documents.
The CRA accuses the charity of conducting real estate transactions that were completely unrelated to its stated mission. Turns out this not-for-profit charity was wheeling and dealing land outside Montreal for a whole lot of profit profit.
“The very fact that Congregation Riminov was involved in commercial activities, shows that its registration [as a charitable organization] was used to evade taxes, ” the agency argues, asking the court to freeze the group’s assets.
QMI Agency has previously reported the CRA has liens to the tune $4.4 million on 34 properties belonging to Congregation Riminov, for fear the money from the sale of these properties would be smuggled overseas.
