Politics

Report: DOJ may indict SC Gov. Nikki Haley for tax fraud

Nicholas Ballasy Senior Video Reporter
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The Department of Justice may indict South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley on charges of tax fraud, according to the Palmetto Public Record, a South Carolina political blog.

PPR reported that a “highly ranked” federal government official “privately confirmed rumblings of an investigation” and the “possible indictment of the governor.” The report said the official, however, could not provide a specific time frame.

Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey told The Daily Caller on Thursday that “[i]t’s sad in this day and age when anyone can post un-sourced nonsense on blogs and the mainstream media runs with it.”

“No truth to this whatsoever — it’s as real as the tooth fairy.”

But PPR reported that two “well-placed legal experts” said the DOJ indictment could come as early as next week.

The alleged tax fraud reportedly occurred during Haley’s time managing finances for the Sikh worship center in South Carolina run by her father, Dr. Ajit Singh Randhawa.

In addition to reports of impending federal criminal charges, a group of South Carolina Democratic lawmakers is calling on Haley to waive her right to confidentiality concerning any ethics complaints that may be pending against her.

Asked by The Daily Caller to clarify what charges, if any, Haley will be facing, a Department of Justice spokesman responded, “We would have no comment.” Asked if that meant no investigation into Gov. Haley’s alleged tax fraud was underway, the spokesman responded in an email: “It means we have no comment.”

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This story was updated after publication to reflect a quote from Gov. Haley’s spokesman.

UPDATE 2: The rumors about Gov. Haley possibly facing indictment appear to be untrue, and the IRS says she was never the subject of an investigation. 

“No one has asked to sit down with her and interview her,” Haley’s chief of staff, Tim Pearson, told The Daily Caller after rumors began circulating about an investigation. “There’s been no contact because the investigation doesn’t exist. You can’t have an indictment without an investigation. So all of this stuff is just totally false.”