The taxman has booked Kaizer Chiefs striker Gastón Leandro Sirino into the black book of tax dodgers after ignoring a yellow card to pay over R6.1 million in unpaid personal tax.
News that Serino has found himself on the offside of the taxman came to the fore when the South African Revenue Service (Sars) applied for a default judgement against him at the Joburg High Court.
In the application papers that we have seen, Sars said the former Mamelodi Sundowns goal poacher owed the no-nonsense institution over R5.9 million after dribbling it with payment of his personal income tax.
However, the staggering amount ballooned to R6.1 million after Sars imposed a total of R16 000 in administrative penalties and more than R224 000 in interest.
Sars applied for a default judgement against the Uruguayan national after the dribbling wizard ignored a final letter of demand dispatched to him from its Alberton office on March 25 this year.
Before applying for the default judgment, Sars wrote Serino a final letter of demand on August 19, advising him to pay the whopping debt or enter into a payment plan with the receiver of revenue to settle the debt.
The taxman threatened to auction off Serino’s assets if he failed to do so.
“According to the records of the South African Revenue Service, you have failed to pay your tax debt for one or more tax years and tax periods.
“You are requested to make full payment within 10 days from the date of this letter of demand,” read the letter.
In the letter, Sars advised Serino to apply within 10 business days from the date of issuance to arrange to pay the debt in instalments if he was unable to pay the full amount.
He was also advised to apply for suspension of the debt if he intended to submit or had submitted a formal dispute or compromise of a portion of the tax, where this would provide a higher return to the fund than liquidation, sequestration or other collection measures.
Sars informed Serino that if he did not comply with its demands, it would go to court to seek an order to attach and auction off his assets.
“Failure to make full payment or use the above remedies may result in the following actions and possibly others: Sars may appoint any third party who presently or in the future will owe you money or hold money for you to settle your tax debt with this money.
“A civil judgement is being entered against you, in which case a warrant of execution may be issued for the sheriff of the court to attach and sell your assets.
“If you are a natural person, you may apply for a reduction of the amount to be paid to
Sars based on you and your dependants’ basic living
expense.
“If you are a non-natural person, you may apply for a reduction of the amount to be paid to Sars based on serious financial hardship,” the papers read.
Attempts to solicit a comment from Serino drew a blank as he ignored our phone calls and text messages we sent him.
