As if looting the American treasury and blowing away Iraqis isn't bad enough, now this!
No wonder the world has always hated mercenaries!
"Blackwater accused of tax dodge" by Anne Flaherty/Associated Press October 23, 2007
WASHINGTON - The Democratic chairman of a House watchdog committee said yesterday that Blackwater USA violated tax laws and may have defrauded the government of millions of dollars, a charge the embattled security firm said is groundless.
Under US law, companies must pay Social Security and other federal taxes on their employees. But unlike other security companies operating in Iraq, Blackwater says the guards it trains, equips, and deploys to Iraq and elsewhere are independent contractors hired directly by the federal government.
Representative Henry Waxman, who chairs the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, wrote in a letter to Blackwater chief Erik Prince:
"By classifying its armed guards and other personnel as independent contractors instead of employees, Blackwater has apparently evaded withholding and paying these taxes."
Waxman's charge comes as the company is struggling to salvage its reputation.
Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said in an e-mail to the Associated Press that the company has appealed the IRS ruling and that no final determination has been made. Further, she said, the US Small Business Administration has told the company that Blackwater security guards do not have to be classified as company employees.
Tyrrell: "It is unfortunate that the chairman has relied upon a one-sided description of the issue to color public perception without all the facts being presented."
[Unreal! MSM press basically HIDES everything the mercenaries do, and yet she's bitching!
Un-fucking-real!]
The IRS finding was the result of an inquiry filed by a Blackwater guard. The guard later agreed not to discuss the matter with anyone, including politicians or public officials, in exchange for receiving compensation owed to him by Blackwater, Waxman said."
