A New Zealand banker defrauded clients of $13m to fund a lavish lifestyle of prostitutes, property and wine, according to local media. Stephen Gerard Versalko, 52, was convicted of stealing NZ$17.8m from the clients of his employer, ASB Bank, and jailed for six years, the Dominion Post newspaper reported. Court officials could not be reached…
As the result of tax legislation enacted in 2001, the estate tax previously applicable to estates over $1 million for individuals and $2 million for married couples has been eliminated in 2010. Unfortunately, if Congress does not enact new legislation to modify or extend the current rules, portions of the 2001 relating to the elimination…
Some investors are faced with the prospect of a short sale, or a lender’s foreclosure. The investors in this situation have a multitude of concerns ranging from the loss of the equity invested in their property to a reduced credit rating. Unfortunately, there is often another consequence: the short sale or lender’s foreclosure can sometimes…
Malaysia is considering proposals to end its subsidy regime and phase in a new goods and services tax as it begins dismantling a four-decade race-based economic system that has deterred foreign investment. The economic regime adopted after race riots in 1969 has given a wide array of economic benefits to the 55 percent Malay population,…
Tanzania has scope to raise spending on infrastructure projects in the fiscal year starting in July against a background of higher economic growth and slowing inflation, the IMF has said. The east African nation’s economy is likely to expand by 6.2 percent in 2010 versus 5.5 percent last year, the fund said in a statement….
Andrew and Mark Madoff, sons of fraudster Bernard Madoff, have submitted a request with a US court to dismiss all the complaints against them, with prejudice, court documents showed. In a filing with the US Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, the sons said they ranked among the “numerous victims of their father’s terrible…
Australia has welcomed a report saying that China did not blame Rio Tinto or the Australian government for the collapse of a $19.5bn tie-up between Chinalco and the Australian mining giant. The Australian Age newspaper reported from Beijing that a detailed report to the State Council, or China’s cabinet, blamed economic forces and a powerful…
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble called for greater integration between euro zone members and stronger surveillance of member countries’ finances to protect the monetary union from further crisis. In a column published in the Financial Times, Schaeuble said Europe’s monetary union was facing a critical moment and must take steps to protect itself from a…
The US Treasury’s decision against a bankruptcy restructuring for GMAC may have increased taxpayer bailout costs for the auto finance company and made it less viable, an oversight group said on Thursday. The Congressional Oversight Panel, in a new monthly report, said despite three separate bailouts totaling $17.2bn, GMAC Financial Services continues to struggle with…
China on Wednesday unveiled strict new rules governing bankers’ pay that are designed to limit risk taking. Payment of 40 percent or more of an executive’s salary must be delayed for a minimum of three years and could be withheld if their bank performs poorly, the China Banking Regulatory Commission said in a statement on…
