ATTORNEY Vincent DLG Torres said has entered into a payment plan with the CNM government.
“I am up to date with my payments, and I plan to pay off the entire tax within a year,” he added.
According to a notice of tax lien filed in federal court and the CNMI Superior Court, Torres owes the Commonwealth government a total of $1,175,096.64 in taxes from 2014 to 2020.
The tax lien notice was filed by Richard Santos, manager of the collection and remittance branch of the Division of Revenue and Taxation, on Thursday, Feb. 9, not Friday, Feb. 10, as earlier reported.
In an email to Variety, Torres said: “A few years ago, our accountant moved back to her country. So I hired an accounting firm here on Saipan to file our taxes for the year. I was informed that there was a discrepancy with the filing of the previous year that needed to be amended. So, being concerned with good conscience, I voluntarily gave a clear instruction to review all my financial documents from 2013 on to find out if there were any discrepancies. The accounting firm found discrepancies, so I told them to amend and file my taxes with the CNMI government immediately even if it means I’ll end up paying so much more.”
“It is the right thing to do,” he added.
“We amended [the amount] to $780,394.19 plus $394,702.65 in late fee and interest for a total of $1,175,096.64,” Torres said.
“I have already entered into a payment plan with the government, and I am up to date with my payments. I plan to pay off the entire tax within a year,” he reiterated.
“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 said.
“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.
According to the tax lien notice, “Demand for payment of this liability has been made, but it remains unpaid. Therefore, there is a lien in favor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on all property and rights to property belonging to the taxpayer for the amount of these taxes and any additional penalties, interest, and costs that may accrue,”
The lien also stated that attorney Torres’ unpaid tax balance for tax year 2014 is $73,537.68. For tax year 2015, Torres has an unpaid balance of $564,156.23; in 2016, $182,293.11; in 2017, $123,113.42; in 2018, $166,844.61; in 2019, $6,411; and in 2020, $58,740.20.
