For this to be criminal it'd probably require intent to be proven which is difficult without a "smoking gun" of an email being like "do this to avoid taxes or be fired"- CEO. For it just to be civil fines is a lot simpler to show. Their inevitable appeal and potential reduction in fine is a different issue.

[–] PopOfAfrica@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Which is hilarious because ignorance is not a defence for poor people.

[–] primrosepathspeedrun@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago

the poor are not, according to the american criminal system; 'people'. mutually exclusive categories.

[–] orcrist@lemm.ee 15 points 1 month ago

Of course they have intent. That's not an issue at all. They're trying to avoid taxes, which is in itself legal, and they aren't denying that. Their theory is that the IRS is doing the math wrong.

[–] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

It almost sounds like you're saying corporations are not people. Don't let the conservatives hear you say that.

[–] xor@infosec.pub 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

16 billion dollars of money laundering isn’t an “honest mistake”…. criminal intent abounds

[–] phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

Sure but that's a lot harder to prove.