THUNDER BAY — A city resident has received a fine and a conditional jail sentence after being convicted of evading the payment of taxes.
The Canada Revenue Agency said Henry Grant Wetelainen was sentenced in a Thunder Bay court last week to two years less a day, and fined $128,000.
In 2023, as an individual and as a director of 1584859 Ontario Inc., he was found guilty of three counts of evading taxes and one count of making a false statement on his tax returns.
A CRA investigation determined the numbered company mainly operated as a management firm in the mining and mineral exploration industry in the Thunder Bay region under Wetelainen's direction.
It said while he was the sole director and shareholder, the company failed to file corporate income tax returns from 2009 to 2011, thereby failing to report $367,000 in taxable income.
Additionally, the corporation failed to file GST/HST returns for two years, thereby failing to remit $46,000 in collected tax.
The investigation also found Wetelainen failed to report personal income of about $577,000 on his individual tax returns for 2009 to 2011.
The CRA said he appropriated these funds for personal use from the company and reported nil income on his personal returns.
Persons convicted of tax evasion are required to pay not only any fines issued by the court, but also the full amount of unpaid tax, plus interest and any penalties assessed by the CRA.
