Two expat couples detained in the U.S. for tax violations

Two Cuenca expat couples have been denied a return trip to Ecuador due to alleged tax violations in the U.S. In both cases, IRS attorneys were granted a writ of Ne Exeat Republica by the courts, an order that requires those served to turn over their passports and to remain in the U.S. until legal settlements are reached.

U.S. Marshals stopped Alan and Teresa Anderson at the Miami airport March 2 as they prepared to board a LAN flight to Quito. According to court documents, the Andersons are charged with falsifying tax returns and evading more than $350,000 in taxes. The Andersons had returned to the U.S. in January to visit Teresa’s aging mother.

Another Cuenca couple, Charles and Kathleen Barrett, were stopped by the U.S. Marshall Service in Colorado airports on August 8, 2013 as they prepared to return to Ecuador. According to lawyers for the U.S. IRS, they were being held on an issue of unpaid taxes. The Barretts were in the U.S. to attend a wedding

Alan Anderson, a former CPA from Denver, operated Cuenca Gringo Tax Service, advising expats on U.S. tax issues. Charles Barrett owned a local relocation and international shipping company.