Ivan Seidenberg - Corporate Tax Dodger
September 12, 2011 · By Sarah Anderson, Chuck Collins, Scott Klinger, Sam Pizzigati
Phone customers paid more to Uncle Sam than the telecom giant Verizon.
Verizon
Phone customers paid more to Uncle Sam than the telecom giant
CEO compensation: $18.1 million
U.S. federal income taxes: $705 million refund
Verizon received a massive tax refund last year – despite earning $11.9 billion in pre-tax U.S. profits – the highest among the 25 firms highlighted in this report.
Quite a feat for then Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg. In effect, every Verizon phone customer paid more in federal telephone excise taxes than Verizon paid in federal income taxes.
Verizon also has a heavy political presence in Washington. Last year alone, the telecom giant spent $16.7 million on lobbying — and deducted these outlays off its taxes.
Despite its hefty profits, Verizon last year announced 13,000 job cuts, the year’s third-highest corporate layoff total.
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Sarah Anderson
Chuck Collins
Scott Klinger
Sam Pizzigati