American Gossip King

Chapter 148 You Can't Afford to Lose Even Once

The following day, Ian obtained information that Sony Pictures was suspected of tax evasion.

Tax evasion is a major problem, and the IRS is so powerful that it's even more famous than the FBI.

It's important to know that the IRS has its own law enforcement agencies and even military units. The most famous of these agencies is the notorious mob boss Capone, a guy even the FBI couldn't handle, yet he was arrested by the IRS.

In the United States, the FBI is not scary, but the IRS is very scary!

Anyone who dares to evade taxes is asking for trouble!

Sony wasn't so audacious as to evade taxes, but rather it's almost impossible for a film company not to.

Firstly, the US film and television industry has high taxes, so to avoid taxes, they set up numerous subsidiaries to transfer profits. Secondly, film and television companies are often involved in money laundering.

And any money laundering operation inevitably involves tax evasion; otherwise, how would they operate? Would they report it? So no matter how well the accounts are kept, problems are bound to arise. The issues discovered by the FBI are just the tip of the iceberg, amounting to a little over two million dollars, a side effect of their broader problem-solving efforts.

But the IRS doesn't see it that way. Even if you're laundering money, you still have to pay taxes!

The key is that they can also impose fines!

However, after seeing these things, Ian hesitated.

He was somewhat reluctant to use this for a deal.

This is a news story of immense value that can generate a continuous effect and bring substantial returns.

Using this to exchange for a chance to make money with Spider-Man and the Men in Black is such a waste—you already owe me, why should I use my dirty laundry to take what is rightfully mine?

So Ian decided to wait.

Spider-Man was released in May 2002, and he could invest funds at any time before that.

Many people define the advantage of being reborn as knowing which path to wealth will lead to riches, but they always overlook the timing.

Truly excellent investments always focus on time returns: assuming Spider-Man is released in May and the returns are settled in October, then investing in April means a return period of only six months, and investing in December means a return period of nearly a year.

Entrepreneurs skilled in mergers and acquisitions place great importance on the investment return cycle, which signifies the enormous value of capital utilization.

So after much deliberation, Ian decided that his top priority was to continue gathering dirt on Sony so that he could strike at a crucial moment.

At the end of December, Time magazine published their Person of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, Ian Carr made the list, but he wasn't the only one; Shaunalia also joined him as one of Time magazine's Person of the Year.

This was Ian's own request. After all, Shawna will become a big star at Lockbridge Pictures, a member of a globally renowned anti-terrorism and anti-war organization, and one of the future leaders of the women's rights movement... Catherine could have been one of them, but she's still a bit confused.

Looking at his own portrait in Time magazine, and next to it, a portrait of Shawna, Ian contentedly threw back the covers and launched his attack on Shawna…

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In Time magazine, Ian's handsome face appeared right in the center of the page.

He is destined to become one of the most remarkable figures of this era.

A brilliant journalist, a brilliant businessman, and a righteous hero who appears out of nowhere.

All these accolades have made this young man a well-known figure throughout the United States and even the world.

In a luxury mansion in Manhattan's affluent neighborhood.

Utrecht Boyce looked at the young man with a sorrowful expression: "Why can't we have journalists like that? Someone who would risk everything for the news, including their life, even their conscience!"

Utrecht Boyce is the head of ABC News.

As a major capitalist, Utrecht Boyce was not so easily fooled.

He knew that much of what Ian Carr said in the interview was nonsense and bragging.

However, it is undeniable that when a person possesses the abilities of a god-level journalist, the thick skin of a politician, and quick reflexes, coupled with an excellent business mind, the support of a bank, and a crazy, fearless ability to take risks, then as long as he doesn't die, he already has the qualifications to advance to the level of a global super media.

Boyce wouldn't want to deal with him because of this; the problem is that he's developing too fast!

His development speed is so fast that it's too fast for anyone to react, and it's posing a huge threat to all his peers.

Not only that, he was also not very friendly to Jews.

He took CBS from Viacom, and the Redstone family is Jewish; he made a series of revelations about DreamWorks, and the three founders of DreamWorks are Jewish; one of the two politicians he exposed was also Jewish; nearly a third of the celebrities he exposed were Jewish; and to this day, his company has no Jewish executives.

Despite Ian’s repeated claims that he does not discriminate against Jews, his actions demonstrate hostility toward them.

Of course, Boyce wouldn't see this as an ideological issue, but he could understand it as a matter of interests—Jews controlled the American media, and Ian Carr, in order to achieve his own media tycoon status, would inevitably have to confront the Jews head-on.

Therefore, regardless of whether he was targeting the Jews or not, even if only considering his own interests, Boyce could not accept any of this.

Just as I was thinking, the phone rang.

Boyce took the phone: "It's me, old friend Jovi, hello... Yes, I'm watching... a fine young man... What? The Wall Street Journal is interested in him too? He doesn't mainly cover financial news... Ah, Madoff, is that so? I see. I agree with his assessment... Okay, I can help a little with this. This young man is too driven; he needs to be kept in check."

Yes, Boyce had heard that Ian and Madoff had a minor conflict, and Madoff was also Jewish.

So he dialed again: "It's me... Viacom's plan to acquire CBS fell through, they're doing very well now... A forced takeover? That's too costly, and they can retaliate. You and I both know why, Ian Carl."

Boyce chuckled softly. "You can't buy him off; he's the owner of a large media company himself. Mr. Madoff has a suggestion… Yes, he has some ideas about that young man. I don't know why, and I don't care. I mean, someone always has to take the lead, right? I'm also curious why this old guy is so radical, but we don't care about the reasons. I'm not a journalist; digging into the essence isn't my job."

The latest novel is first published here!

"Yes, all we have to do is cooperate with him."

Boyce laughed: "There's an old Eastern saying, 'When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down,' but actually, you can push it down even when it's not falling. Yes, I agree with that. So it's settled then."

After making one phone call after another, Boyce finally finished his work for the day.

His eyes narrowed slightly: "Ian Carl, you may be an excellent journalist, but you are clearly not an excellent entrepreneur. You don't know what you're facing... This is the inevitable result of recklessness. You can win a hundred times, but you can't afford to lose even once."

Boyce chuckled softly as he spoke.

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PS: Carl Media's asset list (excluding personal consumption, Godwin Estate, etc.):

1. CBS shares 14+8% (market stock).

CBS currently has a market capitalization of $125 billion, and a 22% stake represents 27.5 billion.

Another 3% have not yet been received.

Second: The Los Angeles Herald currently has a circulation of around 150 million copies. Due to its high profitability, its valuation has reached $10 billion. It is also Ian's core asset growth point, but it has basically reached its ceiling.

Third: The Los Angeles Times is still valued at $8 million, with 70% of its shares worth $5.6 million.

Fourth: Meihe Construction Company remains unchanged at 3 million.

5. Invest 200 million in shorting the Italian lira.

Six: Xinghuo TV, Suoqiao Film Industry, Huaguo Fangli and other related industries are valued at 200 million.

Regarding liabilities:

Linuo Bank: 19 billion, interest rate 6.2%.

Ankang Insurance Company: 15 billion, with interest of 3.8% (not yet paid, used to pay for 12% of CBS shares, which are pre-paid).

Linuo Bank paid 3.36 million (not yet paid) for the acquisition of a 3% stake in CBS.

CBS paid Ian a $20 million dividend in the fourth quarter, which, combined with the profits from the two major newspapers, was basically enough to pay Linuo's interest.

Including both agreed debts and agreed shares, the total liabilities are 37.36 billion, and the group's total value is 54 billion.

The debt ratio is around 69%, and the net assets are around 17 billion.

(End of this chapter)