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Chapter 48: Where There Are People, There is Conflict
Inside the room, Mr. Fox's expression was as calm as ever, showing no significant change from the moment before. But only he knew that his scalp was tingling intermittently.
People often joked about the Federal Tax Bureau, suggesting that getting on their bad side could lead to financial ruin. However, there was notably less humor directed towards the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
It was not that there was a lack of material for joking about the Federal Bureau of Investigation or that they didn't make mistakes. On the contrary, the Bureau faced numerous law enforcement disputes and even accidents every year. However, few openly criticized them.
This was because while the Federal Tax Bureau might make one’s life unbearable, the Federal Bureau of Investigation could directly end it. Hence, there weren’t many who constantly complained about their treatment.
When the other party revealed their identity, Mr. Fox's legs were starting to feel shaky.
For a while, he just stared at the man.
However, his son and his men had gradually recovered from their shock. Moreover, when they noticed the intense stare between Mr. Fox and the bureau agent, they seemed to have found their backbone, regaining their courage and glaring murderously at the agent.
But only Mr. Fox himself knew that he needed to compose himself; otherwise, his legs would give way, and he would kneel.
After a moment, he took a deep breath, nodded, and said, "Fine." He turned around, sat down, and added, "I'm curious to see why you can make me feel unsteady."
His performance was impressive. Even Mr. Fox's son felt it was a shining moment in his father's life. However, only Mr. Fox knew that his heart was racing at a hundred and eighty beats per minute.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation agent maintained a persistent smile, a confident one. He raised an eyebrow and said with an expression of regret. "You definitely won't like to hear this..." He paused for a moment before continuing. "We, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have had our eye on you for some time now."
In another room, the Federal Tax Bureau investigator glanced at the Federal Bureau of Investigation agent beside him, who responded with a subtle nod.
The problem lay in prioritization. Conflicts between individuals are common, let alone between two top-tier organizations.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Tax Bureau, although belonging to different fields, had overlapping areas in authority and function.
For instance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Financial Crimes Investigation Division dealt with crimes related to finance. Often, these crimes were associated with tax evasion. Criminals would hide accounts to avoid discovery, leading to tax evasion. Thus, these two factions had inherent conflicts, albeit not always overtly or entirely restrained.
With just one sentence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation agent from the Financial Crimes Investigation Division took all the credit for the investigation. These recordings would eventually surface in court and possibly the media.
The statement "We've had our eye on you for some time" was enough to demonstrate the Federal Bureau of Investigation's foresight in front of everyone. It revealed that they had actually already noticed the money laundering activities of Mr. Fox and others. It was just that they hadn’t gathered enough evidence to incriminate them yet. However, the foolish Federal Tax Bureau's reckless actions almost jeopardized their entire operation.
Fortunately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation managed to rectify everything in the end. Not only did it earn a glimmer of success for the entire Bureau, but it also gave a slight blow to the Federal Tax Bureau.
If this had happened under normal circumstances, the Tax Bureau would’ve certainly sent people in to turn the tables. However, now they’d made a mess of things themselves. The priority was to resolve the current issues first. There would be plenty of time to regain ground in the future.
Mr. Fox remained silent, his mind rapidly spinning. How could his inconspicuous financial firm attract the Federal Bureau of Investigation's attention? Did they have nothing better to do with their time?
However, the agent didn't stop because of Mr. Fox's silence; instead, he hastened his speech.
When the amount of information exceeds a person's peak processing capacity within a short period, it can lead to confusion during thought processes, making it easy to misspeak or say things that shouldn't be said.
"Since last month, we've noticed increased activity in your business, particularly the accelerated pace of your money laundering..."
It was said to be last month, but in reality, it was just a little over ten days ago, precisely when Lynch and he completed their first transaction. With a substantial amount of loose change flowing in, it caused his daily reported income to increase gradually. Surely, it would draw the attention of certain individuals. However, Mr. Fox was unaware that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had also taken notice of him.
He remained silent. But the agent continued, "Based on our investigation," taking several photos from a clipboard and placing them on the table. The photos included Mr. Fox with Lynch and photos of his subordinates handling money. "After meeting Lynch, you both established a set of more advanced money laundering procedures on top of your existing ones."
"Lynch scavenged untraceable loose change for you and designed a new fee system, allowing you to swiftly turn your illegal income into legal ones and deposit it in banks."
"Mr. Fox, while running a financial company, profiting from illegal high-interest rates, you've also been laundering money privately. Be it the district court, state court, or even the highest court, your sentence won't be less than twenty years. This is not an exaggeration."
The agent’s casual remarks caused Mr. Fox's son and subordinates to draw in a sharp breath. Given Mr. Fox's current age, if he were incarcerated, let alone twenty years, surviving ten years would be incredibly tough. It seemed like their plan was to ensure Mr. Fox died in prison.
Mr. Fox’s eyes twitched. "Where's the evidence?" His voice started low but quickly rose. "You've said so much; you must have evidence. You say I charged high-interest rates, who can testify to that?!"
"You say I laundered money, but all my earnings are legitimate!"
"If you have no evidence, I'll sue you for defamation!" He took out his business card holder, handed a card to his son, and said, "Go outside and call the lawyer, immediately."
The agent pointed at the table. "We have a phone here. You can make the call here."
Mr. Fox sneered, "I suspect you're recording..." He then glanced at his son, gripping his hand. "Make the call outside! Do it quick!"
Mr. Fox wasn't sure if his son had grasped his hint. He had given a secret signal, telling his son to finish the call and not come back, so as to avoid being implicated altogether.
Over the years, he had hidden quite a bit of cash and valuables everywhere. In case things went awry, his son could use these things to flee the country. Although he'd be trapped, at least he'd secure his child's safety.
Isn't a person's life, aside from their own, all about the next generation?
However, sometimes things don't go as planned. After his son made the call, he returned, prompting Mr. Fox to sigh heavily and glare at his foolish son.
The agent watched Mr. Fox's son leave and return, almost laughing out. He couldn't demand that a person not clearly linked to a case stay. But if they chose to remain, how would he refuse?
He glanced at his wristwatch and said. "I hope your lawyer arrives quickly. Otherwise, you might have to spend the night at our facility..." He shrugged. "The environment there isn't great; it's drafty, the walls are like cages, and it stinks. The toilet and bedroom are in the same place."
It was an obvious threat. Anyone would feel they had the upper hand. Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation started arranging to apprehend Lynch once the evidence was revealed. Once Mr. Fox admitted guilt, even if Lynch's business wasn't legally forbidden, he'd still be implicated. The recent public chatter would then swing in a different direction.
The agent smugly crossed his legs and had the personnel outside bring in a cup of coffee. He needed to maintain his composure. After all, they were involved in financial crime investigations and had to be more refined compared to frontline investigators - more dignified and gentlemanly.
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