American Tax Officer

"On December 23, 2021, your company transported a batch of soybeans, which according to the latest consumption tax rate at that time, required about 5.63% in value-added tax, totaling 11.5 million dollars. However, in the end, you declared the previous month's fluctuating tax rate, and reported a total tax of 12 million dollars, pocketing the extra 500,000 dollars. Dare you say that didn't happen?"

Upon hearing such detailed financial data, Trevicon couldn't help but panic now.

But before he could say anything, David spoke again, "And on December 31, your company brought in a batch of beef. According to the consumption tax rate for that month, the value-added tax should have been about 6.63%, totaling 21.66 million dollars.

But in the end, you still reported the previous month's fluctuating tax rate, and paid a total of 22.16 million dollars in taxes, pocketing another 500,000 dollars."

"And on January 11, your company imported a batch of corn..."

"Until February 11, when your company's finance department needed to reconcile with the tax department, you had to make those falsified tax reports look legitimate through Ducray, because you were afraid the accounts wouldn't match up. I'm right, aren't I?"

"I..."

If it were just the soybeans David had mentioned earlier, Trevicon might be able to quibble, but with every underreported tax transaction over the past few months laid out before him, where could he possibly find room to refute?

"Although Ducray is your classmate, and he helped you handle these fake tax reports, if your company found out about this, given the harm to their interests, they wouldn't let it go easily..."

"What do you want..."

Trevicon was truly flustered.

Because, as David had said, if this matter were to come to light, it wouldn't be just a simple matter of tax underreporting for him.

And if the company pursued it, the fact that he was suspected of economic crime was definitely unavoidable.

Moreover, an economic crime was definitely something the police or the FBI would investigate. Even Ducray would likely be unable to help him.

"I don't want much, actually. I'm not really interested in exposing this incident. Of course, I need a little favor. If you help me with this, I'll turn around and leave. As for your evasion of taxes... I won't pursue it!"

According to the statutes of the tax evasion law, Trevicon should pay more than 900,000 dollars in taxes.

But first, this wasn't David's jurisdiction, and second, he hadn't made any profit-sharing agreements with the local branch, so he didn't want to do the dirty work for the people at the Long Beach Branch.

"What favor?"

David said, "Didn't you give Ducray 80,000 dollars? I need the source of that money, as well as the information regarding into which account it was transferred."

Trevicon was stunned; he now understood that David was not after him but after Ducray.

But what a joke.

Ducray is the head of the Long Beach Branch, and in the entire IRS system, that branch is quite influential.

A Chief Tax Officer like him, how could he dare to offend such a high-ranking branch head?

Ducray immediately shook his head and refused, "I can't do that. If Ducray finds out, I'll definitely be finished."

David's expression turned cold as he said, "So what you mean is, you're not afraid that the company and FBI will find out about your tax underreporting?"

"This..."

Trevicon was caught in a dilemma again.

Indeed, offending Ducray meant tough times in Long Beach District, but if the matter really reached the company's upper echelons and the FBI, it would be more than difficult for him.

"Just give me the information, and at most, you'll only have to deal with Ducray holding a grudge against you in the future. But if you don't, I guarantee your outcome will be far worse. You're someone who knows how to calculate, you should understand this!"

David's words were precisely what Trevicon was wrestling with in his mind.

After a long pause, he finally replied, "I need some time to think about this matter..."

"That's fine, but I must warn you, after our talk, you can go confess to Ducray if you want, but I advise you, you better think it through carefully!"

Although David had a formidable reputation in Nevada, his clout might not be as effective as Ducray's in Long Beach District.

Therefore, he couldn't be sure whether Trevicon would go and confess to Ducray afterward, and then the two of them might collude and plan a strategy.

Now, he could only hope that the other party would be sensible.

Trevicon's eyes narrowed. To be honest, he had really considered confessing to Ducray after finishing the conversation with David.

After all, the saying went, the strong dragon cannot suppress the local snake.

Regardless of how famous David might be, the boss of the IRS in Long Beach District was definitely Ducray alone.

But now, after David's warning, he somewhat dismissed the idea.

"We're staying at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. I hope to receive your answer by tomorrow morning," David said.

After dropping that line, David no longer lingered and stood up to leave.

"Chief Tax Officer, where are we heading now?"

"YA Company."

One of the company's deputy tax officers had also conducted a financial transaction with Ducray, and David needed to get that piece of evidence as well.

...

Long Beach Branch.

"You don't need to worry about that. Since the tax money has been frozen by our branch, and the higher-ups are not interfering, he definitely won't be able to take it. Rather, Brown, you should have your people exert more effort to ensure that clean tax cannot be used for election funds; that would actually be even better."