SAT investigates bank accounts of 174,000 Mexicans in the U.S.

The U.S. government gave to Mexican authorities information about more than 174,000 Mexicans with bank accounts and investments in the United States who may have avoided paying taxes.

The review is part of the agreement signed by the two countries to exchange financial information based on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

Aristóteles Núñez, head of the Tax Administration Service (SAT), said that the information would be reviewed to determine if the account holders included this information in their tax statements and paid the corresponding taxes if applicable.

Núñez explained that if they obtained yields from their investments in the United States and the corresponding income tax was withheld locally, they should have included the information in their tax statement. He added that if they failed to do so, they can repatriate their capital to avoid penalties.