2aHawaii
General Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: swissk31 on November 08, 2011, 05:25:40 AM
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I heard that Art was convicted on all tax evasion charges. Is this true?
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I heard that Art was convicted on all tax evasion charges. Is this true?
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20111108_Gun_dealer_convicted_of_fraud_conspiracy_income_tax_evasion.html?id=133421903 (http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20111108_Gun_dealer_convicted_of_fraud_conspiracy_income_tax_evasion.html?id=133421903)
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Wow, that's big news. Had no idea, the investigations had to be going on for many years before it got to this point, perhaps that was the reason for his disposition in the shop, he must have been going thru a lot. In any case unfortunate and somewhat tragic for our 2A community...
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Now that he will be a felon. Can he still own the store and take no part in running the business and remove his name from the FFL to keep the store open or does he have to sell it because he would have accesss to the firearms.
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Now that he will be a felon. Can he still own the store and take no part in running the business and remove his name from the FFL to keep the store open or does he have to sell it because he would have accesss to the firearms.
I've heard that he has already transferred ownership of the guns to his employee.
I haven't confirmed this yet but it's what I heard.
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It will be interesting to see what will happen.
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I heard that Art was convicted on all tax evasion charges. Is this true?
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20111108_Gun_dealer_convicted_of_fraud_conspiracy_income_tax_evasion.html?id=133421903 (http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20111108_Gun_dealer_convicted_of_fraud_conspiracy_income_tax_evasion.html?id=133421903)
Cutting and pasting for future reference:
Gun dealer convicted of fraud conspiracy, income tax evasion
By Nelson Daranciang
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 08, 2011
Arthur Lee Ong's career as one of the state's biggest gun dealers is over, his lawyer said Monday after a jury in federal court found Ong guilty of conspiracy to defraud the government and failing to file income tax returns on time from 2000 to 2006.
Ong, 53, faces up to five years in prison for the conspiracy and each of six counts for the tax returns when he is sentenced in March. At that time he will become a convicted felon and be prohibited from possessing or owning a firearm.
Ong owns Magnum Firearms in Kakaako, which has long provided firearms and related products and services to the military, state and local law enforcement agencies and consumers.
The government says Ong conspired with convicted tax protester Royal LaMarr Hardy and Hawaii island lawyer Paul Sulla to evade paying taxes and stop filing individual income tax returns since 1994.
The prosecution said Ong set up sham trusts into which he diverted his earnings to evade paying income taxes. The government says Ong controlled the trusts and used money from the accounts to pay for personal expenses, including buying luxury cars and real estate.
Ong said he relied on the advice of Sulla, to whom he was referred by Hardy, and that because of his limited education, he did not know he was breaking the law. He said he just wanted to set up the trusts to benefit the Hawaii Baptist Foundation, his alma mater, Hawaii Baptist Academy, and Olivet Baptist Church.
His lawyer, Robert Fricke, said Ong has since paid all the income taxes he owes, including interest and penalties.
Prosecutor Timothy Stockwell said the amount Ong paid was computed by his own expert, not the government's, and that he has yet to pay any back state income taxes.
Hardy and Sulla were not charged with any crimes and were identified in the indictment against Ong by their initials.
In 2005 Hardy was sentenced in federal court for wilfully failing to file income tax returns and conspiracy to defraud the U.S.
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Wow, that's big news. Had no idea, the investigations had to be going on for many years before it got to this point, perhaps that was the reason for his disposition in the shop, he must have been going thru a lot. In any case unfortunate and somewhat tragic for our 2A community...
I doubt that's the reason. The way people describe his actions I wouldn't be surprised if he was manic. It seems to fit his behavior.
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Wow, that's big news. Had no idea, the investigations had to be going on for many years before it got to this point, perhaps that was the reason for his disposition in the shop, he must have been going thru a lot. In any case unfortunate and somewhat tragic for our 2A community...
What is tragic is that it went on for so long and cost taxpayers even more money.
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I would see the guy brain from Magnum at hpd doing the registrations for there guns. So I am guessing the ffl was transferred to him.
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I would see the guy brain from Magnum at hpd doing the registrations for there guns. So I am guessing the ffl was transferred to him.
He is smart but his name is Brian
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The government calls it "conspiracy". Others call it a decision not to pay taxes that they consider "unconstitutional". In any event, there have been (and still are) a number of "consumer advocacy" groups out there that advocate the non-payment of taxes (or even mortgages) or promote other methods of legitimately avoiding the payment of taxes. Some of them even charge fees for their assistance in helping you avoid payment. It's not difficult to sell an idea that is seemingly strange to the average person, to people who are upset at the way the government operates or uses their tax dollars. Unfortunately, some people find out the hard way that the advice or idea that they bought doesn't work and that the penalty is more than a financial one. Although Art's case fits, I'm not suggesting that this is what actually happened since I do not know the details of his case. I'm simply raising the fact that it does and continues to occur.
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it's not like he was passing on the savings to his customers or anything
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it's not like he was passing on the savings to his customers or anything
Isn't that the truth.
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Wow, that's big news. Had no idea, the investigations had to be going on for many years before it got to this point, perhaps that was the reason for his disposition in the shop, he must have been going thru a lot. In any case unfortunate and somewhat tragic for our 2A community...
What is tragic is that it went on for so long and cost taxpayers even more money.
Exactly
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Wow, that's big news. Had no idea, the investigations had to be going on for many years before it got to this point, perhaps that was the reason for his disposition in the shop, he must have been going thru a lot. In any case unfortunate and somewhat tragic for our 2A community...
What is tragic is that it went on for so long and cost taxpayers even more money.
Exactly
Mean..........I got double phantom quoted.
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I wonder if he will start his Volkswagen parts business again after his fed time?
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So the front window will get smashed weekly. Well that's what VW guys at the track told me when he used to sell VW parts.
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I wonder if this means the shopping experience will change at all.
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I wonder if this means the shopping experience will change at all.
I doubt it. The employees there have been steeped in years of the "screw you, we don't need you" policy.
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I wonder if this means the shopping experience will change at all.
I doubt it. The employees there have been steeped in years of the "screw you, we don't need you" policy.
Yup, but if (BIG IF) everything is above board now and all applicable taxes/fees are being paid, then maybe they need some reasonable price to float their labor/overhead?
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You know, I would love nothing more than for this to be the incentive Magnum Firearms needs to redefine itself. It's just a crying shame in a market this small that there is a gun store I won't walk into.
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You know, I would love nothing more than for this to be the incentive Magnum Firearms needs to redefine itself. It's just a crying shame in a market this small that there is a gun store I won't walk into.
Tom, why exactly won't you walk in there?
Were you mistreated at some point?
Just wondering.
I really like the gun shop. I just wish their prices were more competitive with the rest of the stores on Oahu.
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Tom, why exactly won't you walk in there?
Were you mistreated at some point?
Just wondering.
Yep. And they did it over a $30 item, too.
I went in there for a front sight tool for my Yugo SKS. I wanted a C-clamp style, but they didn't have one in stock. They had something else, though, and the guy said "No reason it won't work on the Yugo, it works on all of them."
Well, it didn't work on the Yugo. The grenade sight was in the way. So I took it back the next day.
"Sorry, we don't give refunds," was the answer.
"Yeah, I can see the sign, but you sold me something that does not do what you told me it would do. It's not like I changed my mind. You sold me the wrong thing, and you didn't know any better. The fault is yours, and you should make this right."
"We don't even sell that thing. You didn't get it here."
"Here's the receipt. And there are more of them hanging on the wall behind you."
"You bring that rifle of yours in here and prove to me that it doesn't work, and then maybe we'll think about it."
"I am not driving across town to bring my rifle back over here. You're going to give me my money back because the mistake is yours."
"Alright, asshole. Wait here, I'll get your money."
So, because their staff wasn't knowledgeable about their own products, I'm the asshole. Art was there, watching. Since he never stepped in, I can only believe that he approved of this style of customer abuse. Since then, not only do I not favor them with my custom, I never pass up an opportunity to share my story.
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Tom, why exactly won't you walk in there?
Were you mistreated at some point?
Just wondering.
Yep. And they did it over a $30 item, too.
I went in there for a front sight tool for my Yugo SKS. I wanted a C-clamp style, but they didn't have one in stock. They had something else, though, and the guy said "No reason it won't work on the Yugo, it works on all of them."
Well, it didn't work on the Yugo. The grenade sight was in the way. So I took it back the next day.
"Sorry, we don't give refunds," was the answer.
"Yeah, I can see the sign, but you sold me something that does not do what you told me it would do. It's not like I changed my mind. You sold me the wrong thing, and you didn't know any better. The fault is yours, and you should make this right."
"We don't even sell that thing. You didn't get it here."
"Here's the receipt. And there are more of them hanging on the wall behind you."
"You bring that rifle of yours in here and prove to me that it doesn't work, and then maybe we'll think about it."
"I am not driving across town to bring my rifle back over here. You're going to give me my money back because the mistake is yours."
"Alright, *******. Wait here, I'll get your money."
So, because their staff wasn't knowledgeable about their own products, I'm the *******. Art was there, watching. Since he never stepped in, I can only believe that he approved of this style of customer abuse. Since then, not only do I not favor them with my custom, I never pass up an opportunity to share my story.
Wow, that sucks. Sorry to hear it.
I'm kind of like that too. If you treat me like $#!+, fu(< you, I'll shop somewhere else.
On the other hand, while art can be grouchy, he is very cool to me. I go to all the gun shops and for the most part enjoy myself in all of them.
On a side note, I stopped in today to OGC to inquire about our inexpensive gun purchase but when I walked through the door I was greeted with an incredible deal. So incredible in fact that I forgot why I was there.
Haha, sorry, I'll ask him next time I'm there.
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On a side note, I stopped in today to OGC to inquire about our inexpensive gun purchase but when I walked through the door I was greeted with an incredible deal. So incredible in fact that I forgot why I was there.
Haha, sorry, I'll ask him next time I'm there.
It's not like there's a hurry. But I am in, whenever.