Watchdog group files IRS complaint against Epoch Times Network

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As a long-time follower of news and media, I find the recent developments surrounding the Epoch Times and its affiliated nonprofit organizations, the Epoch Public Foundation and the Epoch Times Assn., to be quite concerning. Having kept an eye on the right-wing media landscape for some time, I’ve grown accustomed to the sometimes questionable reporting practices of certain outlets. However, the allegations against these organizations, as reported by Accountable.US, take things to a whole new level.

Accountable.US, a government oversight group, submitted a complaint to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding the Epoch Public Foundation and the Epoch Times Association – the non-profits linked to the conservative media organization, The Epoch Times.

Last week, a grievance was submitted to the IRS concerning suspected false or fraudulent details in the nonprofit’s tax reports for the fiscal years 2021 and 2022. The author is asking for an investigation into these allegedly misleading or deceitful submissions.

A few weeks ago, I was shocked to hear about the arrest of Weidong “Bill” Guan, the CFO of The Epoch Times, on allegations of being part of a vast, international money laundering operation. According to federal prosecutors, at least $67 million in ill-gotten gains were involved in this scheme.

In a recent indictment, I learned about Guan’s intriguing method of acquiring substantial criminal proceeds. He employed cryptocurrency to buy around tens of millions of dollars worth of ill-gotten gains. These included prepaid debit cards that were fraudulently obtained, false claims for unemployment insurance benefits, and personally stolen information. The Epoch Times’ reported annual revenue was manipulated using this pilfered data.

In 2020, the “Make Money Online” team at the Epoch Times, headed by Guan, reportedly acquired ill-gotten gains and moved them into the media company’s accounts, according to the indictment. The indictment further claimed that these funds significantly boosted the company’s revenue, increasing it by 410% in a year to reach $62 million.

According to the Justice Department’s statement, Guan transferred $16.7 million from the sale’s earnings into his own bank accounts, yet failed to declare this income in his tax returns.

A grand jury indicted Guan with one count of money laundering and two counts of bank fraud.

After Guan’s arrest, The Epoch Times announced on their website that they have temporarily suspended him from the company. They also stated their commitment to collaborating fully with any investigations regarding the accusations against him.

Accountable.US is a left-leaning non-profit based in Washington, D.C., which keeps tabs on the financial dealings of conservative organizations. They’ve raised concerns over potential discrepancies and reporting mistakes in the tax documents of Epoch Public Foundation and the Epoch Times Association.

The unexplained discrepancies and errors found in EPF and ETA’s tax filings for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 are concerning because they happened while Weidong ‘Bill’ Guan was under investigation for money laundering activities related to his businesses, according to federal authorities.)

A representative of Epoch Times could not be immediately reached for comment.

In the year 2000, The Epoch Times was established in New York by a group of Chinese Americans connected to the Falun Gong spiritual practice, which is forbidden in China. Initially, this newspaper started as a compact, complimentary edition with a primary focus on denouncing the Chinese Communist Party.

Since then, this media outlet has grown strong within the conservative news sphere, gaining recognition for promoting conspiracy theories, predominantly on social platforms, and unwavering in its support for former President Trump and his associates.

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2024-07-18 22:13