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Tax evasion nets Richmond man $2.1M fine, conditional sentence Balkar Singh Bhullar pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Maria Rantanen Dec 24, 2024 11:40 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Balkar Singh Bhullar, 67, was sentenced on Dec. 19. Vancouver Provincial Court Listen to this article 00:01:38 A Richmond man failed to report almost $7.5 million in income from flipping homes and has been sentenced in provincial court to a conditional sentence and fines of more than $2.1 million. Balkar Singh Bhullar pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of tax evasion under the Income Tax Act. A Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) investigation showed Bhullar failed to report $7,485,246 in taxable income for the years 2011, 2012 and 2014. The income was from assignment fees earned from flipping 14 properties between Jan. 1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2014, thereby allowing him to evade $2,153,394 in federal Income taxes, according to a news release from the CRA. Bhullar, who is 67 years old, was sentenced on Dec. 19 in B.C. Provincial Court (Robson Square) to a conditional sentence of two years less a day and a fine of $2,153,397. 📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected] . 📲 To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter . 💬 Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing. See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Economy, Law & Politics S&P/TSX composite up on shorter Christmas Eve session, U.S. markets also rise Dec 24, 2024 10:56 AM Growing to 4.2M people in Metro Vancouver 'a bit too much' without a plan: Mike Hurley Dec 24, 2024 9:30 AM Border measures aimed at responding to Trump's tariff threat begin to take effect Dec 24, 2024 8:17 AM
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An Australian teenager who tragically died from suspected methanol poisoning "was on the trip of a lifetime" with one of her best friends, her heartbroken dad has said. Bianca Jones and her pal Holly Bowles, both 19, fell ill after a night out in Vang Vieng, a Laos town popular with tourists. Ms Jones died on Thursday and her friend on Friday. Now, Bianca's father, Mark Jones, has spoken out after the tragedy as he urged the government of Laos to investigate what happened. He also said his daughter "wanted to explore the world , meet new friends, lead and create change for good" and hoped to build "lifelong memories" during her trip which "was to be the first of many." Mr Jones told The Age : "This was meant to be a trip full of lifelong memories, and was to be the first of many. Bianca wanted to explore the world, meet new friends, lead and create change for good." In a plea to the Laos government, the grieving father added: "I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Laos government to investigate this to the fullest extent, to make sure this incident doesn't happen again. We can't have the passing of our daughter ... not lead to change to protect others." It comes after Holly's family said she was "living her best live" while travelling through South East Asia, "meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences." They added: "We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace. We find comfort and solace in knowing Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people." Among the six victims of the suspected poisoning was also 28-year-ol British lawyer Simone White, whose family said in a statement: "We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful, kind and loving daughter Simone. Simone was one of a kind and had the most wonderful energy and spark for life. She was a soul who gave so much to so many and was loved by her family, friends and colleagues. "Simone has been taken from us too soon, she will be sorely missed by her brother, grandmother and entire family. Our hearts go out to all other families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy." The other three travellers who have died are an American and two Danish tourists. Earlier today, the Laos government said it is "profoundly saddened" and is investigating the deaths of six people from suspected methanol poisoning. Police in Laos have detained the manager and owner of a hostel over the six travellers' deaths. In a statement released to the media, the Laos government said it was "profoundly saddened" over the deaths of foreign tourists and offered its condolences to their families. It added that is has been investigating "to find causes of the incident" and to "bring the perpetrators to justice." An officer at Vang Vieng's Tourism Police office said no charges have been filed but a "number of people" have been detained in the case. Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which is still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning. Those poisoned in the incident are believed to have been served drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes used by disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, said staff were told by other guests that the women were unwell after they failed to check out as planned on November 13, and they arranged transport to a hospital for them. He said the women had joined more than 100 other guests for free shots of Lao vodka offered by the hostel two days earlier. He said no other guest reported any issue, adding the alleged victims had then gone for a night out, returning in the early hours of the morning. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told his country's parliament that 19-year-old Bianca died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng for treatment in a Thai hospital. Thai authorities confirmed Ms Jones died because of a "brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system." Landlocked Laos is one of south-east Asia's poorest nations and a popular tourist destination. Vang Vieng is particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports. Officials in Laos have released almost no details about the case, with the government keeping a tight lid on information. The country is a one-party communist state with no organised opposition.None
Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing charged with murder in New York, court records showBills' letdowns on defense, special teams and clock management in loss to Rams are all too familiarSRF: What does the group of 100-year-olds in Switzerland look like? Daniela Jopp: There are 2,086 centenarians in Switzerland. Of these, 80% are women. Almost half of them live in care facilities, the other half live in private households. That’s quite astonishing, because 80 years ago there were only a handful of 100-year-olds. SRF: How are 100-year-olds doing in Switzerland? DJ: A look at well-being reveals an astonishing finding: in Switzerland, 92% of centenarians say they are satisfied with their lives. This is a remarkable result that has also been observed in previous studies in other countries, but never to such a high degree. It seems that Swiss centenarians are particularly satisfied with their lives. SRF: What factors explain this satisfaction? DJ: Objective health does not play a central role. Although centenarians have an average of six physical limitations and often also cognitive impairments, these factors have little influence on satisfaction. What’s far more important are psychological aspects, such as the feeling of not being lonely. So-called psychological strengths are particularly decisive: a belief in one’s own control over life, optimism, a positive view of the future, a sense of meaning in life, and a strong will to live. These elements are the most important drivers of well-being in old age. SRF: What kind of personalities are these centenarians in Switzerland? DJ: We know that certain personality traits, such as extroversion, that is, whether you like approaching people, or a positive basic attitude, play a role and are partly genetically determined. We also see that many of the Swiss centenarians have not had an easy life. A third have lost at least one child, one of the most difficult life events. It is a combination of a genetic predisposition for optimism and dealing with crises that helps them to remain exceptionally resilient and thus probably live longer. SRF: How important are genetics? DJ: Numerous studies have investigated this and show that it is not primarily our genes but our lifestyle that is decisive for our lifespan. Genetics only play a role of around 25%. The larger proportion of 70% to 80% depends on a healthy diet, exercise, mental fitness and social relationships, as well as a positive attitude to life and a sense of purpose. SRF: What role do personal interests and hobbies play? DJ: An exciting observation from my studies on centenarians is that many of them pursue a deep passion. Whether it’s a close bond with their family, for example, by actively supporting their grandchildren, or a strong interest in politics, art or other areas of life – this dedication seems to inspire them. I think we can learn from the centenarians how important it is to realise at a younger age what really inspires and drives us. It is precisely these passions that not only give us purpose and energy, but often carry us into old age. Translated from German using DeepL/amva/gw
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