Leading offshore law firm, DQ is delighted to announce that managing partner Tom Maher has been invited to speak at the prestigious OffshoreAlert conference in Miami in May 2015 on the subject of global tax investigations.
The three day event in Miami is one of the leading offshore financial crime and investigation conferences in the world. Over 300 delegates from the US, the Caribbean, South America and Europe will be in attendance including many of the world’s leading tax and fraud investigators, insolvency practitioners, tax lawyers and service providers. Speakers include global experts in these fields along with senior IRS officials.
OffshoreAlert has pulled off a major coup by securing the attendance of Hervé Falciani, who is constantly in the global press this year. Hervé is the HSBC Suisse whistleblower and it was his disclosures which have prompted investigations into HSBC in Switzerland, Belgium, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Also speaking will be Greg Coleman, the FBI agent who took down the Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort. Greg has branched out from catching “pump and dump boiler room” millionaires and this year will be speaking about Bitcoin and asking if it is the world’s first successful virtual currency or a digital hoax of global proportions.
Tom was invited by OffshoreAlert editor David Marchant to speak to delegates on the subject of global tax investigations. Tom’s session is entitled “Help! Am I a target or a witness? What service providers should do when investigators request client information.”
Tom will be presenting with James Mastracchio (partner and head of the criminal tax defence group in leading US law firm BakerHostetler) and together they will navigate delegates through the stormy waters encountered when a foreign tax or criminal authority comes knocking on their door requesting information or interviews.
With information now readily at the fingertips of tax authorities, through FATCA, CRS, TIEAs etc, it is likely only a matter of time before financial institutions and service providers receive a request for disclosure of client information. That information usually fuels a more in-depth investigation into the client. Foreign tax authorities are increasing their efforts to stop tax evasion in their home jurisdictions, providing unparalleled funding and manpower to support enforcement efforts. What should you do when they knock on your door? Do you co-operate voluntarily? How do you keep yourself in the "witness camp" and avoid becoming a "target" of their investigation. Do they already know all of the answers (thanks to undercover agents or whistleblowers)? How do you square the circle of voluntary co-operation versus client confidentiality? How do you get paid? What are the legitimate legal challenges that can be raised in your defence?
The fight against global tax evasion and avoidance is very much a hot topic at the moment and therefore Tom and James look forward to debating the above questions and sharing their global expertise and experience with delegates.
For more information on OffshoreAlert Miami 2015, click here.
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