ADC Presidential Candidate Denies Tax Fraud Allegations In US

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, yesterday said he has no criminal case in any part of the world.

The politician said he was never wanted at any time in the United States (U.S.A) for tax evasion.

He said insinuations to impugn on his integrity were politically motivated.

Kachikwu, who made the clarifications at a media briefing in Abuja, urged politicians to “stick to issues rather than defame people”.

He said: “I have been resident in the U.S. I just came back from there. My family lives there and my children school there.

“I have no criminal case in any part of the world. I have heard these people continue to persist in fallacious argument that I have a criminal case. I have no criminal case anywhere in the world and I am not being investigated anywhere in the world.

“Contrary to the information being peddled, I was assessed on additional $9 million several years ago by the U.S Inland Revenue Service (IRS).

“This amount was reduced to $2 million and when the IRS sued to collect the amount, my lawyers did not contest it and instead waited for a default judgment in order to go to the next stage, which is making an offer in compromise to reduce the amount to be paid.

“This is a standard legal practice in tax matters.”

Kachikwu also said he did not facilitate $100,000 bribe cash to a jailed U.S Congressman, Williams Jefferson.

He said: “Someone claimed I had delivered a $100,000 cash bribe to curry the favour of the former U.S congressman.

“This is another lie as multiple evidence abounds clearly showing I was the victim who reported the U.S congressman to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for defrauding my company.”

The ADC candidate warned against distractions by his political rivals as he concentrates on his ambition for the presidency in 2023.