Latest from Harvey Cashore
THE FIFTH ESTATE
CRA duped yet again in Ontario construction tax credit scheme
The Canada Revenue Agency is being hit again with revelations it failed to detect a scam, one so obvious that, according to insiders, a simple Google or corporate registry search would have prevented it. But this time there’s a twist.
Whistleblowers are compromising tax fraud investigations, minister says
Minister of National Revenue Marie-Claude Bibeau has come out swinging against the whistleblowers behind recent reports that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is plagued by major gaps in fraud detection and has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in bogus refunds.
THE FIFTH ESTATE
CRA leadership knew of major gaps in fraud detection as agency paid out bogus refunds, records show
In early 2024, senior officials at the Canada Revenue Agency were so concerned it had wrongly authorized bogus refunds of tens of millions of dollars that they wrote confidential briefing notes stating that the agency was plagued by significant "gaps" in its ability to spot — and stop — scammers, records show.
THE FIFTH ESTATE
CRA launched 'witch hunt' against whistleblowers who exposed millions in bogus refunds, sources say
The Canada Revenue Agency is on a “witch hunt” to find whistleblowers who may have spoken to the media and exposed how it has been repeatedly duped into paying out millions in bogus refunds to scammers, according to sources.
The Fifth Estate
CRA duped in $40M bogus tax refund case. Why did it take a big bank to notice?
In 2023, a Canadian taxpayer logged into his Canada Revenue Agency account, falsely amended previous tax returns and wrongly claimed he was owed more than $40 million in refunds. Without verifying any of the newly filed tax slips, the Canada Revenue Agency authorized the payments and began making the initial instalments, according to sources.
The Fifth Estate
Tens of thousands of taxpayer accounts hacked as CRA repeatedly paid out millions in bogus refunds
At the height of this year’s tax season, the Canada Revenue Agency discovered that hackers had obtained confidential data used by one of the country’s largest tax preparation firms, H&R Block Canada.
THE FIFTH ESTATE
The CRA alleges this firm was part of a $63M tax 'sham.' Why isn't it trying to get the money back?
The Canada Revenue Agency and the federal Department of Justice have made a behind-the-scenes deal with a telecom company they continue to allege was part of a tax refund “sham” that was “designed to deceive” authorities into paying out tens of millions of dollars of public money.
CRA paid out $37M to tax scammers, unsealed affidavit alleges
A once-sealed affidavit filed with the Tax Court of Canada and obtained by The Fifth Estate details how alleged scammers tricked the Canada Revenue Agency and made off with $37 million of taxpayers' money.
KPMG wants CRA affidavit in tax 'sham' case struck from public record
Earlier this year, KPMG Law requested a temporary sealing order in the case regarding its client Gold Line Telemanagement, which the Canada Revenue Agency accuses of involvement in a "carousel scheme." Now, KPMG has applied to the court to have the affidavit at issue struck from the record completely.
THE FIFTH ESTATE
How fallout from top secret documents found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort could affect Canada
The discovery of top secret documents at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort sparked a criminal investigation and has the former U.S. president facing the possibility of criminal charges. But it’s also raised alarms in intelligence circles, where allies of the U.S., which share information and include Canada, wonder what is in the documents and if it could have an impact on intelligence needed to protect national security.