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Chapter 47: You Have the Right to Remain Silent; Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You
Later in the afternoon, around four o'clock, just before the tax office closed, Mr. Fox had someone take the money and all the various ticket stubs to the tax office for registration.
Federal law mandated that any deposit exceeding five thousand bucks into a bank required legitimate proof.
The proof wasn't just about the money being genuine, but also the means by which it was acquired and whether taxes were paid on it.
Without such proof, the bank wouldn't accept the cash, leading to an increase in monitoring and response levels for the related accounts.
Some individuals used relatively simple methods to manage these funds, such as dividing ten thousand bucks into ten parts, having ten different people deposit them into their accounts, and then transferring them to a specified account.
This was an effective way to evade the federal government's Regulations on Management of Large Amounts of Cash (大额现金管理条例). So why didn't more people use this method?
The reason was equally simple actually. Once the bank noticed a concentrated transfer, considering the risk too high, they would freeze the incoming and outgoing accounts until both parties provided sufficient evidence proving the money's legality.
In cases where they couldn't prove the legitimacy of the funds, the bank would confiscate this amount and voluntarily pay a special tax to the tax authorities on this money, absorbing it into their own system.
If the account owner objected, they could pursue legal action. However, most accounts facing such issues ended up accepting the loss rather than risking losing both the money and their freedom.
Apart from banks monitoring various accounts, the Financial Crimes Investigation Division of the Federal Bureau Of Investigation also scrutinized these accounts. While some survivors existed, more often than not, they were caught by people's scrutiny.
Numerous cases repeatedly reminded people that they could break the law but couldn't avoid paying taxes.
Mr. Fox's nephew and several subordinates drove a box truck to deliver the money to the tax office for registration. After obtaining the form stamped with the Sabin City tax registration seal, they arrived at the nearby Prosperity Bank(盛荣银行). This bank had existed for a very long time and was also one of the six major banks in the empire.
As the group pushed the cart used to transport change into the bank, a huge crystal chandelier, hanging from a height of at least twenty meters above the ground, illuminated. The light passed through each crystal facet, reaching every corner of the bank.
The daily-maintained marble floor resembled a mirror, hiding rare golden natural marble that shimmered under the light, exuding an aura of opulence.
It felt like a golden temple, exuding an air of dignity in every corner.
An exceptionally poised bank manager stood by the door, exuding a warm smile as he approached. He continually inquired and filled out a form on his clipboard while glancing at the tax registration form held by the person in charge of the cart.
Though referred to as a bank manager, he was actually a client manager at Prosperity Bank. There were at least twenty such managers in this hall, each with their own offices and clientele.
"Wait a moment, let me make a declaration..." the manager said as he arranged for some coffee and snacks to be brought in. He then proceeded to the administrative office. This was a standard procedure.
Handling a substantial cash deposit required considerable manpower for "screening." The bank had a screening process akin to a farmer's sieve, where, through continuous manual sorting, coins of different denominations and sizes would fall through different holes, expediting the counting process.
Although this was considered swift for the bank, it still took some time.
At that moment, while Mr. Fox savored his Colofu, the phone behind him suddenly rang. He took a drag, sucking in the dense smoke into his mouth like a viscous liquid. He swirled his tongue, savoring the dispersing molecules, each offering a delightful sensation.
Upon the third ring, he blinked and approached the desk to answer, "Hello, Gettnau Financial(盖特瑙财务公司)..."
The sweet voice of a young woman immediately responded from the other end, "Dear Mr. Fox, I'm calling from the Prosperity Bank's telephone service department. There's an anomaly with your account at our branch. If you have time, kindly visit the nearby Prosperity Bank for resolution..."
"My account has an issue?" Mr. Fox didn't immediately grasp that this was a trap, nor did he realize he was the target. He simply thought his recent cash checks might have caused a problem due to certain widely known reasons, as counterfeit cash checks occurred frequently in the Baylor Federation each year.
Despite efforts to secure cash checks, counterfeiting was challenging to eradicate entirely. Additionally, in this era before the electronic information age, cashing checks across states was a complex and lengthy process for banks but a momentary affair for forgers.
This resulted in hundreds of disputes annually. Most of the time, banks tried to deflect responsibility, seeking issues with the check's owner to minimize their liability.
Whenever something like this occurred, they would notify the account owner to resolve the matter at the bank or upgrade their cash checks.
Mr. Fox hung up the phone with minor annoyance, and promptly made his way to the bank with his son. However, to his surprise, his men were still in the manager's office, and the money had not yet been deposited. Today's pace seemed slower than usual.
"Not done yet?" He furrowed his brow. At his age, he had outgrown extreme emotions and unexpected changes. Each unpredictable event now only caused annoyance.
The manager nodded, "There are more people here for transactions today, so we can't spare too many hands at the moment. Please wait a little longer..."
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Mr. Fox, at least two cameras and a video recorder were aimed at him. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Tax Bureau collaborated to deal with an individual, especially a potential criminal, there wasn't much waiting required.
"It's about time to act..."
Before Mr. Fox could approach the service desk, a man who appeared to be a bank employee walked in. The manager left the room, and the newcomer, holding a clipboard, smilingly gestured toward the nearby couch, "Please, take a seat."
This series of strange actions instantly raised Mr. Fox's suspicion. Most people engaging in troublesome activities tended to remain alert for extended periods.
Rather than complying, he furrowed his brow and asked, "Who are you?"
The man smiled but didn't respond to Mr. Fox's question. Instead, he signaled the workers in the office counting the coins to halt. To conclusively corner these individuals, the Federal Tax Bureau employed the tactics suggested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Not moving the coins was to completely cut off Mr. Fox's final excuse—possible replacement of the money once it left their sight.
Though it seemed foolish, it was effective. The directive from above was to resolve the matter swiftly. Speed was paramount.
The man leisurely unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the ID tucked in his pocket and the badge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Financial Crimes Investigation Unit, Mr. Fox, please have a seat. I'm afraid that after you hear what I'm about to say, you might not be able to stand steady..."
In another room, three solemn-faced individuals wearing earpieces heard these words amidst slight background noise.
On the table before them, two recording devices slowly turned...
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