Caterpillar is focusing its CONEXPO presentation on demonstrating a remotely operated dozer and its expanded telematics reporting, but is also dealing with the fallout from a raid by IRS and Commerce Dept. agents of its Peoria, Ill. headquarters on March 2.
The ongoing federal investigation stems from a 2009 lawsuit by former Cat executive Daniel Schlicksup, who claims he was unfairly demoted after blowing the whistle on an alleged effort by the company to shift profits from a U.S.-based facility to a Swiss subsidiary with a lower tax rate. Schlicksup claims that this tactic allowed Caterpillar to avoid paying more than $2 billion in federal income taxes. Caterpillar said in a statement that it is cooperating with federal investigators. Cat spokespersons declined to comment to ENR about the incident.