ATTORNEY Vincent DLG Torres, who previously owed $1,175,096.64 in taxes to the CNMI government, has paid it off, according to the Department of Finance’s Division of Revenue and Taxation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Torres said, “I voluntarily hired a tax firm to audit my taxes for the prior years after our accountant resigned, and when discrepancies were identified, I voluntarily filed an amendment that cleared the discrepancies. I am glad that I paid and cleared my taxes in full last week and the lien to all my properties is released.”
Richard Santos, the collection and remittance branch manager of the Division of Revenue of Taxation, issued a certificate of release of CNMI tax lien on Nov. 14, 2024.
“I certify that as to the following-named taxpayer [Torres], the requirements of 6325(a) of the NMTIT [Northern Marianas territorial income tax] and or 1811 and 1818 of 4 CMC, and 2210.5 of the Revenue and Tax Regulations have been satisfied for the taxes listed below and for all statutory additions, penalties, or both. Therefore, the lien for these taxes and additions have been released,” Santos said.
According to a previous tax lien notice, Torres owed a total of $1,175,096.64 in taxes dating back to the tax period ending Dec. 31, 2014.
Torres’ unpaid tax balance for tax year 2014 was $73,537.68. For tax year 2015, his unpaid balance was $564,156.23; in 2016, it was $182,293.11; in 2017, $123,113.42; in 2018, $166,844.61; in 2019, $6,411; and in 2020, $58,740.25.
Torres earlier said, “Had I not voluntarily taken action to fix and amend my taxes, this would not have been an issue today. This was completely not a deliberate intent not to pay my taxes.”
He added, “Many individuals and companies entered into an agreement with the government to pay their taxes and never made it to the front-page news. I’m the lucky one ‘politically.’ ”
Torres is the older brother of former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.
