Morgan Stanley is gearing up to fight accusations of tax evasion related to dividend taxes in the Netherlands. According to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, the issue originates from activities between 2009 and 2013, where Morgan Stanley allegedly misreported tax returns, unlawfully offsetting €124 million in withholding tax against €825 million in dividends. Reuters reported that these allegations hold the European parent company, Morgan Stanley, accountable.
The Dutch authorities are conducting a criminal investigation, suspecting that the bank has engaged in tax evasion. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley contests these claims, arguing that the investigation is based on incomplete and misinterpreted information concerning the complex and opaque tax laws they were subject to.
This isn't Morgan Stanley's first encounter with the Dutch tax authorities. In 2020, the bank settled a long-standing case with a payment of nearly €200 million over dividend stripping practices. Despite this history, Morgan Stanley insists on challenging the current claims, highlighting the intricacy of international tax regulations and their commitment to resolving the matter comprehensively.