[JonPreston]

I’m not trying to minimize the tax charges against Trump company executives. Weisselberg is alleged to have avoided taxes on $1.7 million in "indirect employee compensation"

To AVOID taxes isn’t to EVADE taxes. Big, big difference.

[Olog-hai]

Over in the amazing European Union, tax “avoidance” and tax “evasion” are one and the same.

[Bshaw]

“To AVOID taxes isn’t to EVADE taxes. Big, big difference.”

Weren’t the alleged taxes due, for whatever number of years, for employee parking paid by Trump International, instead of being paid by the employees?

Cuffing a 75 year old CFO for this horse-crap! This clown show is going nowhere in the courts, trust me.

[ScubaDiver]

You’re correct. But, the author is using the wrong verb here. Tax avoidance is using the black letter of the law to minimize your tax liability.

Tax evasion is committing civil illegalities or crimes to not claim - and subsequently not pay - tax liabilities. If the allegations are accurate, then yes, this is tax evasion, not tax avoidance.

Having said that, not all tax evasion is criminally prosecuted, as the author also says. It’s frequently dealt with in civil court.