Tobago Businessmen Granted Bail for Tax Fraud

The Criminal Tax Investigation Unit (C.T.I.U.) of the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) in the Ministry of Finance has uncovered and charged individuals in a significant tax fraud case in Tobago involving Habib International Ltd.

An investigation into allegations against Habib International Ltd, Richie Habib, and Yolande Clarke revealed serious offenses, including the recovery of Value Added Tax (VAT) while not being registered, a violation of Section 23 (2) of the VAT Act, Chapter 75:06, and cheating the Public Revenue.

The probe indicated that Habib International Ltd, despite not being VAT registered, invoiced the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for rent using another entity’s (Springs Property Development Ltd) VAT registration number. This fraudulent activity resulted in the recovery of over $2.3 million in VAT from September 2016 to December 2021.

The defendants, Richie Habib and Yolande Clarke, were accused of dishonestly misrepresenting VAT registration to the THA, leading to their charges. The case encompasses allegations of false invoicing, misuse of VAT registration, and failure to properly register and pay VAT, implicating both the company and its officers.

The investigation, spearheaded by Criminal Tax Investigator Mr. Rawle Sookhoo, culminated in warrants being executed on December 12th, 2023. Both accused individuals appeared before the High Court in Tobago and were each granted $800,000 bail. They were scheduled to reappear in court in May 2024 for further proceedings.

The property at the center of the allegations formerly housed the Division of Health, Wellness, and Social Protection. Richie Habib is a well-known businessman in Tobago, while Yolande Clarke recently served as Sales and Marketing Manager at Tobago Channel 5.

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