Oregon AG Gets Tough on RV Registration Fraud
~ Oregon AG Gets Tough on RV Registration Fraud~
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An Oregon resident was charged in a scheme to assist out-of-state businesses and individuals
in avoiding sales tax and registration fees in their home states by fraudulently registering their
motor vehicles, primarily luxury motor coaches, in Oregon.
The Bend (Ore.) Weekly reported that Tualatin, Ore., resident Denise Harden was charged
with 10 counts of tampering with a public record along with civil violations of Oregon’s
racketeer influenced and corrupt organization law. Harden submitted a no-contest plea and
was sentenced pursuant to 24-months of probation.
“This settlement sends a clear message to those who choose to defraud states by falsely
registering motor vehicles in Oregon and avoiding sales taxes and registration fees,” stated
Attorney General Hardy Myers.
In August 2005, the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) began investigating Harden, who
allowed her personal residential address to be used to establish what appeared to be a
legitimate address in-state.
The out-of-state vehicle owners took advantage of Oregon’s relatively low registration fees by
fraudulently registering their vehicles in Oregon and falsely listing the address of a residence
in Oregon as the person’s address, commonly known as a “mail drop,” on the application form.
Also, because Oregon has no sales tax, if a person or business uses a “mail drop” address that
is located in Oregon when purchasing a motor vehicle, then that person or business may,
depending on a particular state’s tax law, avoid paying any sales tax that they would otherwise
be required to pay in their home state.
Out-of-state businesses and individuals paid Harden to help them establish a presence in
Oregon by assisting them in creating a corporation in Oregon (or in registering an existing
corporation in Oregon) and acting as the corporation’s registered agent, and by allowing them
to use her personal residence as the Oregon address of the corporation.
The out-of-state businesses and corporations then purchased motor vehicles in the name of the
corporation and used Harden’s address as the corporation’s address. None of the corporations
conducted business in Oregon other than to purchase and register motor
vehicles.
Harden was actively involved in all aspects of the scheme, which included creating her own
corporation, Registration Station, to assist in promoting the illicit enterprise.
At the close of the state’s investigation, Harden was the registered agent for approximately 70
corporations and had over 300 motor vehicles registered at her address.
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May God Bless
KC
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Source :
RV Business
Friday, March 23, 2007
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