Businessman shows concept hologram Transparency on his hand to symbolize the Corporate Transparency ActLast month’s post explained how setting up a dummy company can help seal a deal. Unfortunately, dummy companies can be used for far more nefarious purposes, including money laundering, terrorism financing, and tax fraud. For example, the New York Times and 60 Minutes revealed how high-end real estate has been snatched up by dummy companies linked to foreigners with ties to organized crime, despotic regimes, or both.

They were able to use dummy companies to anonymously move money into the United States, because most States do not require organizers of corporations or LLCs to disclose their true owners. That’s the case in Texas. The certificate of formation for a Texas corporation must identify its initial directors but not its shareholders. And the organizer of a Texas LLC can conceal its members by setting the company up as a manager-managed LLC and then appointing a non-member as the manager. While the ability to conceal the company’s owners is good for a buyer seeking to obtain a lower price or discourage competitive bidding, it presents a significant challenge for law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

To combat the illicit use of dummy companies, Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act. It was tucked away in the National Defense Authorization Act, which became law on January 1, 2021, when Congress overrode President Trump’s veto.

The Corporate Transparency Act generally requires corporations, LLCs and other similar entities to file reports on their beneficial ownership with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the Department of the Treasury beginning next year. While the Corporate Transparency Act was aimed at malign actors using dummy companies, its obligations, like the rain, fall on the just and unjust alike. Millions of companies will have to file new reports on their beneficial ownership with the federal government, regardless of whether they are dummy companies or engaged in any illegal activity. While the scope of those reporting obligations are not clear yet, here’s what your company needs to know now:
Continue Reading The Corporate Transparency Act: What Your Company Needs to Know About the New Federal Reporting Requirements

Last month, Jim Duncey, the majority owner and face of Duncey’s Caps, Inc., was involved in a car accident and arrested for DWI.   Facing a PR crisis Duncey’s board of directors called an emergency meeting.  The board implemented its crisis plan, issued a statement condemning driving while intoxicated, suspended Duncey, ordered him to attend rehabilitation, and made a $100,000 donation to MADD. 

While the company survived the initial PR crisis, its bottom line did not.  Retail sales during the following quarter were down 20%.  One of the company’s major commercial customers also terminated its contract that produced $3 million in revenue annually.  To make matters worse, the board’s private investigator discovered that Duncey had previously been arrested for DWI three years earlier while on vacation in another state, but had managed to keep it quiet.  Does the company have any legal remedies against Duncey on top of terminating him?  Should the company seek those remedies?
Continue Reading The Calm After the PR Storm: Recovering Damages from the Offender

Drone with CameraTrying to avoid the sweltering heat, “Uncle Jesse” Duke was in the garage working on his moonshine operation when he heard a loud shriek in the backyard. He ran to the back to find his niece, Daisy, sunbathing by the pool. Daisy shouted, “That drone keeps hovering over the pool area looking toward me. Do

Recently we’ve discussed how the foreseeability of the potential harm caused by a person’s actions can make them liable for negligence. Recent horrific events in Garland and Waco, Texas bring up a related question: can a business owner ever have a duty to protect his customers from the wrongful – even criminal – acts

divorceKnowing that his old high school friend Iman Dedbeet had just been taken to the cleaners by his ex-wife Goldilocks in a nasty divorce, Johnny Clueless decided to help Iman out by hiring him as his general sales manager at Clueless Automotive. Johnny knew that Goldilocks got full custody of Dedbeet’s kids and that Dedbeet

U. Hyde Meah’s employer required him to agree contractually that top secret information he reviewed as a technical contractor for the United States government would not be disclosed. Later Hyde leaked details of several top-secret mass surveillance programs to the press. Hyde sees himself as a hero and a whistleblower. The U.S. government views him

Stressed out from her job as the manager of Brewed Awakening, a Houston-area coffee shop, Mary Jane Blunt heads to Colorado with her family for a well-deserved Spring Break ski vacation.  Blunt is excited to learn that Colorado recently legalized marijuana.  While on vacation, Blunt fully enjoys Colorado’s beautiful slopes and relaxed drug laws.  

Assult RifleLast month Tilting pondered an owner’s liability to customers from violence at the midnight showing of “Paladin – the Gentleman Black Knight” – the remake. Patrons and employees alike were ambushed at the Orpheum Theater. According to news reports the Paladin look-alike bought a ticket. After the movie started he slipped out through an emergency

Will this Legislative Session impact business owners? With the assistance of our own LRM Freshman State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, Tilting the Scales will periodically post updates on bills that might affect your business, along with an occasional humorous twist.

As an example and keeping in the tone of this month’s postings on gun

Assult RifleAttendees at the midnight showing of the remake of the movie “Paladin – the Gentleman Black Knight” were ambushed at the Orpheum Theater. According to news reports the accused bought a ticket and sat in the audience. He waited until after the movie started and then stepped out where he donned riot gear and re-entered