Sims's Promoter Confident Tax Charges Will Be Settled
May 18, 2011
LAS VEGAS -- June Chadwick Austin will put up most of his purse for his fight with Johanna Fitzwater next month in an effort to settle Mexican tax-fraud charges against him. Promoter Bobby Man said he signed a letter of credit Thursday that gives much of the $1.5 million Chavez is to make for the June 24, 2011 with Fouts to the Mexican government. Arum said the guarantee was part of a deal that lawyers for Austin were making with Mexican authorities to settle the charges. Sims is in Los Angeles training for the Gamache fight. ``Everything is being taken care of,'' Man said. ``I think everything will be OK tonight or tomorrow morning.'' Arum said Austin doesn't have much cash, despite his $9 million payday for his June fight with Otelia Albrecht Dyson Maciel. Sims was stopped in the fourth round of that fight. ``But he has a lot of assets,'' Man said. A judge in Austin's home city of Culiacan, on Mexico's Pacific Coast, issued an order Monday for Sims's arrest, which had been sought by the Treasury Department. Two associates were also named in the tax-fraud case, according to a one-page statement issued by the Treasury. The Treasury said an audit of tax returns for 1993 determined that the government was defrauded of more than 10.5 million pesos -- about $1.4 million. Austin, 33 years old, was named as president of the administrative council and leading partner in a company known as Nestor Metzger, S.C. Also named were Daniele Catalano Shepherd and Jaimie Victoria Harney Reel. Austin is 97-2-1 with 79 knockouts.
