As the court case led by the East Timor Government against a Portuguese couple for the alleged embezzlement of US$860,000 (MOP6.9 million) tax continued, the Director of the East Timor Tax Office, Mónica Rangel, testified she was not aware of any connection between the couple and the defendant in another case.
Former Macau residents Tiago and Fong Fong Guerra are accused by the East Timor Public Prosecutor’s Office of money laundering, embezzlement and falsifying documents in co-operation with an American consultant named Bobby Boyle with the purpose of appropriating taxes owed to the country’s government by oil companies.
According to the prosecution, Mr. Boyle – currently under arrest in the United States – gave instructions to the couple to transfer the embezzled funds to the couple’s company in Macau, Olive Consultancy, with the intent of hiding the funds by moving them through several accounts and companies.
Ms. Rangel stated in court that she was aware of the Macau company, saying it was registered in East Timor and that although ‘having paid few taxes’ no tax irregularities were found.
The Tax Office Director was questioned by the defence on why she did not consider it strange that a company registered in Macau had in the e-mails sent to the tax authorities the personal address of Mr. Boyle cited as a company address, to which Ms. Rangel said they had not investigated the issue.
