Sales Tax Sting in Brooklyn - Solving NYS Sales Tax Problems - Selig and Associates

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced it seized more than 336 cartons of untaxed cigarettes following two store inspections in Brooklyn. Tax Department investigators conducted routine inspections in Brooklyn at S&O Star Deli Corp, 6602 Bay Parkway, and A&B Food Corp, 7402 17th Avenue, on Tuesday, December 3. They found a combined total of 336.8 cartons of cigarettes bearing counterfeit New York State and New York City tax stamps, as well as ones with stamps from Connecticut, Georgia, and Virginia. “Business owners who evade the tax on cigarette and tobacco products or other sales put honest merchants at a competitive disadvantage and deprive their communities of revenue used to fund vital services,” said New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Michael Schmidt. “We’ll continue to conduct these inspections and work with our law enforcement partners to ensure a level playing field for all.” The owner of A&B Food Corp, Abul Islam, 59, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including possession of a forged instrument, attempt to evade cigarette tax on 10,000 or more cigarettes, and possession for sale of counterfeit-stamped cigarettes. More than 96 cartons of illicit cigarettes were seized from his store. The owner of S&O Star Deli Corp, Salah Aizah, 53, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including possession of a forged instrument, possession for sale of 30,000 or more cigarettes, and possession for sale of counterfeit-stamped cigarettes. More than 240 cartons of cigarettes with counterfeit and out-of-state tax stamps were seized from the store. In addition to the criminal charges, the defendants each face fines of up to $600 per carton seized, which would total more than $144,000 for Salah Aizah and more than $57,600 for Abdul Islam. The Kings County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the cases. A criminal complaint is only an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Free Consultation: Federal Tax Practitioner, CPCU and Attorney. We provide our Clients with successful Tax Representation, Consulting and Strategic Tax Planning Services and can help you significantly reduce your income tax liability in 2020. Legally privileged consultations are available Tuesday through Friday. 

Tax Representation: Specializing in unpaid Income, Sales and Payroll taxes. We negotiate excellent Payment Plans, Audits, Offers in Compromise, and all other tax matters. Proven results. Practicing before the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Speak with us directly (212) 974-3435 or contact us online.

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U.S. Attorney Announces Fraud And Money Laundering Charges Against Accountant

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, J. Russell George, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Office of Investigations (“TIGTA”), and Brian M. Hickey, Director, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Internal Affairs (“NYSDTF”), announced today the arrest of defendant SALVATORE ARENA, who is charged with defrauding clients who trusted him to prepare and pay their taxes, and with misappropriating at least $600,000 of those clients’ funds for his own use.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “The ability of our government to maintain functions and provide necessary services relies heavily on tax revenue from ordinary Americans.  Self-reporting of taxes relies on the honesty of both taxpayers and tax professionals alike.  When individuals attempt to pervert the system for their own benefit – as we allege Salvatore Arena has done – law enforcement will be there to bring them to justice.”

TIGTA Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George said:  “TIGTA investigates allegations of wrongdoing by tax preparers that impedes tax administration and victimizes their clients.  Today’s arrest sends a clear message that TIGTA will work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute perpetrators that exploit the tax system to victimize others.”

NYSDTF Director Brian M. Hickey said:  “When tax preparers blatantly betray the trust of their clients for personal gain it casts a shadow over an entire industry and can deprive communities of revenue for vital services. We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to pursue unscrupulous preparers and hold them accountable for their crimes.”

As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

During the relevant time period, defendant SALVATORE ARENA purported to offer tax services, including the preparation and payment of taxes, to clients of an accounting firm in Manhattan.  As alleged in the Complaint, instead of making payments on behalf of those clients, as ARENA represented he would, he diverted client funds for his own use.  As alleged, ARENA executed this fraudulent scheme in two primary ways – first, by diverting pre-payments of taxes to his own tax account and later claiming illegitimate refunds; and second, by misappropriating tax payments clients had wired into a bank account controlled by ARENA.

ARENA defrauded multiple victims of at least $600,000 during the period from January 2014 through March 2019.

ARENA, 46, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count each of mail fraud, money laundering, and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Special Agents from TIGTA, and Criminal Investigators from the NYSDTF. 

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod L. Schaeffer is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

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We Solve Tax Problems. To meet with an experienced Federal Tax Practitioner and Attorney, in our conveniently located New York City office today, call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online.

Restaurants 

Specializing in Unpaid Sales Taxes, installment agreements, audit representation and all Department of Labor issues. *Ask us about Debt Restructuring, including settling judgments, renegotiating bank loans and merchant cash advances. For immediate assistance call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

Contractors 

Specializing in Payroll and Withholding Taxes, installment agreements, audit representation and Workers Compensation insurance audits. To schedule a free consultation call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

Businesses 

We Settle and Restructure Business Debts, including judgments and most insurance claims. To meet with us personally call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

 Count On Us. Guaranteed. 

✔    Same day and emergency appointments available.

✔    We negotiate excellent re-payment plans with IRS and State.

✔    Missing tax returns prepared and filed in 48 hours, guaranteed. 

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Two Unhappy Hombres Charged With Conspiring To Harbor Aliens and Tax Crimes

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against two residents, charging each with one count of conspiracy to harbor an alien, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, 48 counts of failure to withhold and pay over employment tax, and 12 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District. 

As alleged in the indictment, Imad “Eddie” Hamdan and Ziad “Z” Mousa owned and operated over 30 locations of Brothers Food Mart. Hamdan and Mousa are alleged to have hired undocumented workers to work in their stores and paid them in cash. To further conceal these undocumented workers, Hamdan and Mousa allegedly filed false employment tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that did not report the cash wages paid to the undocumented workers.

In addition, the indictment charges that Hamdan and Mousa paid the salaries of the managers of the Brothers Food Mart stores partially in cash. Allegedly, employment taxes were also not withheld or reported in connection with these cash wages. Finally, according to the indictment, Hamdan and Mousa issued and filed false Forms W-2 that underreported their wages. The indictment further alleges that Hamdan and Mousa aided in the filing of fraudulent tax returns for the managers of Brothers Food Mart stores.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, Hamdan and Mousa each face a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in prison for the conspiracy to harbor aliens count, five years for the conspiracy to defraud the United States count, five years for each count of willful failure to withhold and pay over employment tax, and three years for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return.  They also face substantial monetary penalties, supervised release, and restitution.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Strasser commended Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case. The case was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations.

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Free Consultation 

We Solve Tax Problems. To meet with an experienced Federal Tax Practitioner and Attorney, in our conveniently located New York City office today, call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online.

Restaurants 

Specializing in Unpaid Sales Taxes, installment agreements, audit representation and all Department of Labor issues. *Ask us about Debt Restructuring, including settling judgments, renegotiating bank loans and merchant cash advances. For immediate assistance call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

Contractors 

Specializing in Payroll and Withholding Taxes, installment agreements, audit representation and Workers Compensation insurance audits. To schedule a free consultation call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

Businesses 

We Settle and Restructure Business Debts, including judgments and most insurance claims. To meet with us personally call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

 Count On Us. Guaranteed. 

✔    Same day and emergency appointments available.

✔    We negotiate excellent re-payment plans with IRS and State.

✔    Missing tax returns prepared and filed in 48 hours, guaranteed. 

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#MeToo: Queens Contractor Busted for Tax Evasion – Tried Convicted Sentenced to 48 Months (he should have hired SELIG)

NEW YORK – A Queens, New York, man was sentenced to four years in prison for federal bribery and tax evasion charges Tuesday following a multi-agency investigation, which included U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Rodolfo Quiambao, the former President and CEO of the engineering and electrical design firm Rudell & Associates, Inc. (Rudell), was sentenced for his role in a scheme to pay bribes and kickbacks to supervisors at Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Ed) in exchange for receiving lucrative contracts and other benefits from the public utility services provider.  Quiambao was also sentenced to pay a $125,000 fine and more than $4.5 million in restitution to the IRS.  At the time of his guilty plea in March 2016, Quiambao agreed to forfeit $1 million in criminal proceeds. 

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James D. Robnett, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York; Michael Nestor, Inspector General, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of the Inspector General; and Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge, HSI New York, announced the sentence.  

According to court filings and facts presented during court proceedings, starting in approximately 2000, Quiambao surreptitiously and regularly gave Con Ed supervisors hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and checks in exchange for securing work, including lucrative “sole source” contracts, for his company.  Quiambao also engaged in tax evasion by first concealing and then deducting the bribe payments he paid to the Con Ed supervisors as business deductions on his companies’ tax returns.   

Quiambao’s sentencing was the latest step in the government’s investigation of bribery and kickback schemes involving employees and contractors of Con Ed.  Since 2008, 13 Con Ed supervisors and employees and three Con Ed contractors have been convicted. 

The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Integrity Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Tuchmann and Claire S. Kedeshian are in charge of the prosecution. 

He should have hired SELIG & Associates

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