Sec. 12-551. Wilful violations. Penalties. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 12-551. Wilful violations. Penalties. (a) Any person required under this chapter to pay any tax, or required under this chapter or by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of section 12-554 to make a return, keep any records or supply any information, who wilfully fails to pay such tax, make such return, keep such records, or supply such information, at the time required by law or regulations, shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or both. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 54-193, no person shall be prosecuted for a violation of the provisions of this subsection committed on or after July 1, 1997, except within three years next after such violation has been committed. As used in this section, person includes any officer or employee of a corporation or a member or employee of a partnership under a duty to pay such tax, to make such return, keep such records or supply such information.

      (b) Any person who wilfully delivers or discloses to the commissioner or his authorized agent any list, return, account, statement, or other document, known by him to be fraudulent or false in any material matter, shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years nor less than one year or both. No person shall be charged with an offense under both subsections (a) and (b) of this section in relation to the same tax period but such person may be charged and prosecuted for both such offenses upon the same information.

      (1971, P.A. 837, S. 14; P.A. 88-314, S. 47, 54; P.A. 97-203, S. 10, 20.)

      History: P.A. 88-314 deleted existing language concerning penalties for wilful violations of the provisions of this chapter and substituted in lieu thereof revised language related to the same subject, providing penalties for wilful failure to pay the tax or file a return within the time required and wilful delivery of any return or other document known to be fraudulent or false, effective July 1, 1988, and applicable to any tax which first becomes due and payable on or after said date, to any return or report due on or after said date, or in the case of any ongoing obligation imposed in accordance with said act, to the tax period next beginning on or after said date; P.A. 97-203 amended Subsec. (a) to extend to three years the time within which persons wilfully failing to file tax returns or pay taxes may be criminally prosecuted, effective July 1, 1997.