A California-based importer of China made countertop and building materials was charged Dec. 18 for evading more than $109 million in import taxes over five years, according to federal prosecutors.
Uni-Tile & Marble owner Xin Mian Pan allegedly falsified invoices, mislabeled products, and transshipped goods through a Malaysian shell company to avoid paying U.S. customs duties, according to the indictment. Pan’s relatives in China own the manufacturer he imported from, according to prosecutors.
Charging documents say the scheme started in 2018 after the Trump administration imposed anti-dumping tariffs targeting products made in China. Pan was importing kitchen and bath construction and remodeling products, including quartz countertops, wooden cabinets, and ceramic tiles, according to the indictment….