« Black Friday, indeed; RIM's stock is surging | Main | Marriages, sex lives suffer if wives are better educated than husbands »

November 26, 2021

Tax cheat takes more gullible clients down with him

Looks like another disciple of tax fraudster Russ Porisky is off to jail.

An Ontario couple who dodged the tax man by following his teachings pleaded guilty last week to dodging close to $1-million dollars in personal taxes and to helping others evade millions more.

Porisky's Paradigm Education Group, which teaches followers that taxes are unconstitutional and that taxing a human being’s labour is a confiscation of property has led more than one dupe into the arms of the Canada Revenue Agency. 

Porisky told his followers that his research of the law showed the average Canadian didn't have to pay taxes because each working Canadian is being taxed as an "artificial person," a category created by government. So, by declaring oneself a "natural person," no taxes need to be paid.

That argument led to convictions for fraud and tax evasion earlier this year.

In this instance, the couple ran several Paradigm seminars where students — many of whom were also dentists — agreed to pay them as much as 10% of the money they 'saved' by not paying taxes which they then shared with Porisky.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Colin McKinnon said before sentencing that the “preposterous” tax scheme “shows remarkable hubris and contempt for the rule of law,” according to the Ottawa Citizen

Kooky as the theory sounds, Porisky does have his supporters though, largely among those who see Freemasons behind every tree. But here's a better take on why his views don't hold up to scrutiny.

Do you buy the Paradigm argument? Have you attended a seminar in the past?

By Gordon Powers, MSN Money

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

advertisement

Gordon PowersGordon Powers

A long-time fund company executive, Gordon Powers now heads up the Affinity Group, a financial services consulting firm. Gordon was a personal finance columnist for the Globe & Mail for many years, has taught retirement planning...

Jason BucklandJason Buckland

The modern-day MC Hammer of money, Jason can often be seen spending cash that isn’t his with the efficiency of a Wilt Chamberlain first date. After cutting his teeth as a reporter for the Toronto Sun, he joined the MSN Money team with...