Officials of global pyramid lottery scheme face tax evasion charges
A lawyer representing disgruntled investors in the controversial World Games Inc. (WGI) has reported WGI's Norwegian officials to the country's white collar crime unit Økokrim.
An Økokrim official confirmed the federal agency that investigates and persecutes economic crimes in Norway had received the filing from lawyer Olav Sylte.
He represents 8 people who are demanding the return of around NOK 1.2 million from WGI officials in Norway.
Sylte also says he's preparing a civil lawsuit against the five "world leaders" of WGI in Norway, which will first be handled through arbitration in Fredrikstad where one of the leaders, Tor Anders Petterøe, lives.
WGI's main business has been linked to lotteries and games that members could play over the Internet. It has run into trouble, however, for the entrance fees it charges members, which have led to its characterization as a pyramid scheme.
WGI, launched in Australia in 2001, reportedly has more than 200,000 members in Norway alone, many of whom now fear they'll lose the money they've paid into the company.
Norwegian tax authorities have also started investigating WGI's local officials. Any convictions will likely lead to tax claims and prison terms.
County tax chief Øivind Strømme in Østfold told newspaper Aftenposten that as many as 10 persons may be reported to police in his district, while another eight face charges in Nordland County.
The tax authorities claim that around 4,000 WGI members in Norway received payouts totalling NOK 300 million, but many never claimed the income on their tax filings.
I am familiar with WGI. I got a relative high up in the pyramid. He's made several hundred thousand norwegian kroner. He's not one of the world leaders.
Hope he hasn't done anything stupid, like not paying taxes for example.
Just being involved with WGI is bad. It has already been judged as an illegal pyramid scam in several courts around the world, and is illegal in the USA. You may want to advise your relative that they should consider cutting all ties with that scam outfit immediately.
Just being involved with WGI is bad. It has already been judged as an illegal pyramid scam in several courts around the world, and is illegal in the USA. You may want to advise your relative that they should consider cutting all ties with that scam outfit immediately.
At the moment WGI is legal in Norway, incredibly enough. The problem for many members now is that they have found out that they will have to pay taxes for the income they got from WGI.
Many of the WGI members have only used the money they have gotten from WGI in foreign countries to avoid taxes, but now the IRS of Norway has found a way to tax them anyway.
The other problem which is described in the news article is that WGI haven't paid out what they owe to their members.
Judging from how other countires in the vicinity are treating the WGI [scam] company, I don't think it will be long before they bring criminal charges on WGI, and force them out of Norway. Finland is totally cracking down on WGI, for example.
I am familiar with WGI. I got a relative high up in the pyramid. He's made several hundred thousand norwegian kroner. He's not one of the world leaders.
Hope he hasn't done anything stupid, like not paying taxes for example.
MillionsWanted:
Just being involved with WGI is bad. It has already been judged as an illegal pyramid scam in several courts around the world, and is illegal in the USA. You may want to advise your relative that they should consider cutting all ties with that scam outfit immediately.
At the moment WGI is legal in Norway, incredibly enough. The problem for many members now is that they have found out that they will have to pay taxes for the income they got from WGI.
Many of the WGI members have only used the money they have gotten from WGI in foreign countries to avoid taxes, but now the IRS of Norway has found a way to tax them anyway.
The other problem which is described in the news article is that WGI haven't paid out what they owe to their members.
Judging from how other countires in the vicinity are treating the WGI [scam] company, I don't think it will be long before they bring criminal charges on WGI, and force them out of Norway. Finland is totally cracking down on WGI, for example.
these people need to be caught.