Jagdeo denies GRA’s $900M tax claim against Mohameds is a conspiracy
Mar 16, 2025
Kaieteur News- Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday dismissed claims by businessman Nazar “Shell” Mohamed that the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) pursuit of over $900 million in taxes for high-end vehicles owned by his son, Azruddin Mohamed, is a government-led conspiracy.
U.S.-sanctioned businessman Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed (Jagdeo denies)
During an interview with News Source, Nazar Mohamed said that he believes the Vice President is behind GRA’s demand for taxes totaling $900,801,201 for the four vehicles. However, at his last press conference, Vice President Jagdeo said that it was Azruddin who caught GRA’s attention when he made a Facebook post about taxes he has contributed to Guyana.
“So, he did not even make the post alone, the guy put receipts of his payment…he posted his own tax business. It wasn’t the PPP that released it…he brought this matter into the public domain,” Jagdeo said.
He noted that it was Azruddin’s Facebook post that led GRA to investigate the amount of taxes that were paid for his vehicles before issuing a statement. “Now this is two days after he posted, how much taxes he paid…and then the GRA said hold on a minute,” Jagdeo noted.
“He is saying its recently we decided to go after him, the PPP initiated the issue…he did (it) himself,” the Vice President declared.
Notably, during his response, Jagdeo also hinted that an investigation will be done into a Ferrari that was reportedly brought into the country by a re-migrant, but now appears to be owned by Azruddin Mohamed.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo (Jagdeo denies)
Jagdeo alleged that the Mohamed family brought in the Ferrari under a re-migrant scheme. “So, it doesn’t belong to Azruddin Mohamed but in a Facebook post he speaks about…he posted that they (the Ferrari) belongs to his fleet…so clearly now that that has been done we have to check through what arrangement it came and see whether the re-migrant breached the conditions to access the concessions and they will have an opportunity to present their case…” Jagdeo said.
Notably, persons after being awarded re-migrant status by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, benefit from preferential tax conditions when they import a vehicle and other personal items.
The Revenue Authority in letters to Mohamed indicated that it found discrepancies in declared values and breaches of tax exemption conditions that prompted the authority to seek additional payments.
In separate letters dated March 4, 2025, GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division outlined the findings and financial obligations for the owners of a 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster, and a 2020 Ferrari 488.
According to GRA, the declared values of two Toyota Land Cruisers—PAB 3000 and PAB 4000—were found to be inconsistent with similar vehicles. Consequently, the values were adjusted, and the owners were notified that each vehicle now carries an additional tax liability of $24,641,272.
In another case, a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster with registration PZZ 4000 was also found to have an undervalued declaration. GRA has now adjusted its value and imposed additional taxes amounting to $371,775,168.
Additionally, GRA said that it launched an investigation into a tax-exempt Ferrari 488 owned by a re-migrant. The authority found that the owner failed to meet the required residency period, did not present the vehicle for periodic checks, and was not using it as intended under the terms of the exemption. As a result, the GRA is demanding the repayment of $479,743,489 in foregone taxes.
“As a result, you are required to show cause why the Revenue Authority should not demand the foregone Customs Duty and Taxes,” one of the letters stated.
GRA has given all affected parties 14 days to either pay the outstanding taxes or submit documentation proving the accuracy of their declarations. Failure to comply may lead to enforcement actions, including vehicle seizures. “In the event you fail to provide such justifications or effect payment of the applicable taxes within the stipulated timeframe, the Revenue Authority may take alternative actions pursuant to the laws administered,” the Authority warned.
The Mohameds have already signalled their intention to take legal action against GRA’s demand.
Last year, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Guyanese businessmen Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed over allegations of tax evasion and on Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Mae Thomas, for allegedly misusing her position to offer benefits—such as government contracts—to the Mohameds.
Since being sanctioned in June 2024, Nazar Mohamed recently started speaking out. He has alleged that since then, senior figures within the People’s Progressive Party government have deliberately misrepresented the imposed U.S. sanctions which he says has led to a systematic effort to affect their businesses.
Further, the senior Mohamed has attributed the hostility from the party towards his family, to his son’s political ambitions.
(Jagdeo denies GRA’s $900M tax claim against Mohameds is a conspiracy)
(Jagdeo denies)
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