The United States government has reportedly seized assets owned by Dumebi Kachikwu, who is the owner of Nigeria-based Roots TV, reports said.
Reports said the seizure was for a $2.1 million tax evasion levelled against Kachikwu, who is also the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for Nigeria’s general elections scheduled to hold in February 2023.
Kachikwu earlier this month clinched ADC’s presidential ticket by defeating former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, at the party’s primary election.
Documents reportdly seen by Peoples Gazette, which included case number 8:21-cv-01546-GJH filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland against Mr Kachikwu and his now ex-wife, Somachi, approved the seizure of the assets in a default judgement as the defendants did not respond to the summons and complaints served to their Maryland home in June 2021.
The Nigerian politician was said to have evaded payment of tax while he worked in America from 2009 to 2011. Tax evasion is an offence punishable by law in the United States.
The Peoples Gazette report said that as of March 2, 2022, the accrual of the interests and statutory additions on Kachikwu’s unpaid federal income tax liabilities had reached $2,082,500.
In line with the U.S. law, the tax liabilities will continue to accrue until they are fully paid by Kachikwu, and his ex-wife Somachi, who is the daughter of Nigeria’s former aviation minister, Kema Chikwe, and sister to a popular rapper, Naeto C.
●ADC presidential candidate denies tax fraud allegations in US
Dumebi Kachikwu has, however, denied allegations of tax fraud in the United States.
Kachikwu said this in a statement on Wednesday entitled, “Allegations of tax evasion, fraud against me untrue, politically motivated.”
The presidential candidate said the allegations were propagated by his political opponents who were unhappy with his victory at the ADC Presidential primary election.
The Roots TV boss, therefore, asked supporters to ignore online reports that the US government had indicted him for tax evasion running into millions of dollars.
The statement read in part, “A few days ago, my campaign team received information that one of the aspirants who lost out in the just concluded ADC presidential primaries was planning a series of smear campaigns against me.
“I was therefore not surprised when I saw this story. Contrary to the information being peddled, I was assessed an additional $9m several years ago by the US Inland Revenue Service.
“This amount was reduced to $2m and when the IRS sued to collect the amount, my lawyers didn’t contest it and instead waited for a default judgement 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 denied allegations that he delivered a bribe to convicted US Congressman, William Jefferson.
The ADC candidate said rather, he was the one who reported the former Congressman to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The statement further read, “(The report) claimed I had delivered a $100,000 cash bribe to curry the favour of the former US Congressman. This is another lie as multiple evidence abounds online clearly showing I was the victim who reported the US congressman to the EFCC and the FBI for defrauding my company.
“I have now instructed my lawyers to sue all digital media organisations who participated in the dissemination of this falsehood.”
The Roots TV boss said he was sure of victory in next year’s Presidential election.
Kachikwu, who is a younger brother to a former Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, surprisingly defeated a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, to win the ADC’s Presidential ticket.
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