Philip Corneil, owner of Cotrac Ford Lincoln Sales Inc. in Dutton, has been fined $121,494 for tax evasion under the Retail Sales Tax Act.

The Ministry of Revenue's Special Investigations Branch charged Corneil under the Retail Sales Tax Act after discovering he failed to accurately record retail sales tax collections from March 2003 to June 2007.

Corneil pleaded guilty to the charges on August 10, 2009, in the Ontario Court of Justice in St.Thomas. In addition to the court-imposed fines and surcharges, he must pay a $30,373 surcharge to the Victims' Justice Fund.

Businesses convicted of tax offences are responsible for any taxes owing plus civil negligence penalties and interest, if any.

Under the Ministry of Revenue's voluntary disclosure program, corporations and individuals may come forward and voluntarily report past violations of provincial tax laws and pay any amounts owing.