Trump avoided taxes in Panama

The majority owner of an old Trump brand hotel in Panama claimed in court on Monday that President Donald Trump 's company had erroneously misrepresented the finances of the building to evade the property. tax in the country.

A property owner, Orestes Fintiklis, told the New York Federal Court that Trump's hotel management company had avoided income taxes and social security by managing the former Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower.

The new charges are part of a long and bitter conflict between Trump Corporation and Fintiklis, the majority owner of the 70-storey sail-shaped waterfront building.

The filing indicates that Trump's company misrepresented the salaries paid to employees and other financial documents of the hotel to reduce its tax on hotel management fees, reduce its social security payments and remit less. to the owner Fintiklis. The deposit does not specify the amount of taxes that Trump should have paid.

The Trump organization said it was not exempt from any taxes and that Fintiklis was rather responsible for fiscal problems.

"To the extent that taxes were to be withheld, it was up to the hotel owner's condominium." The only role of the Trump organization was to manage the property, "said the spokesperson for the property. Trump organization, Kimberly Benza, in an email. "We are eager to take statements from Mr Fintiklis and his partners and to expose their fraud."

The filing in US District Court South District New York follows a ruling by judicial officials in Panama early last year against Trump's company in favor of Fintiklis. A few months later, the name of Trump was removed from the facade and management of the building was entrusted to the American hotel Marriott International.

The dispute began in October 2017 after Fintiklis, Ithaca Capital Group, took control of 202 condos in the hotel. Fintiklis then insisted on ending Trump's 20-year contract for building management, alleging "gross negligence and potentially fraudulent behavior", including "looted" bank accounts. The Trump Organization challenged his dismissal as illegitimate and refused to hand over the property.