Billionaire Innocent of Tax Fraud, U.S. Witness Says in Surprise

A U.K. lawyer who got immunity from prosecution in exchange for helping the U.S. bring a tax-evasion case against billionaire Robert Brockman testified that his former boss is innocent of the charges, a stunning declaration from a key government witness.

Evatt Tamine, who worked for Brockman in Bermuda, appeared Wednesday at a federal court hearing in Houston to determine whether the 80-year-old software tycoon is competent to stand trial. Brockman’s lawyers say his dementia leaves him unable to understand the case, but prosecutors say he’s been faking his decline to avoid trial on charges he evaded taxes on $2 billion ...