Tag:

Tax Fraud

Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams
Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams As the holiday shopping season begins, the IRS reminds everyone that it’s not just your credit card balance you need to watch — it’s also your personal information. As part of its ninth annual National Tax Security Awareness Week, the IRS is warning taxpayers about a rise in holiday scams.  The scammers aren’t interested in gifts under your tree; they’re after your Social Security number and financial information instead. Here’s how scammers are getting creative—and how you can stay safe: Phishing Emails: Be wary of emails pretending to be from reputable retailers, shipping companie…
Former NY Rep Paralyzed After Horse Accident Receiving Treatment In NJ: Report Former NY Rep Paralyzed After Horse Accident Receiving Treatment In NJ: Report
Former NY Rep Paralyzed After Horse Accident Receiving Treatment In NJ: Report Former New York Congressman Michael Grimm has been left paralyzed from the chest down after a severe horse-riding accident during a polo tournament, and is being treated in New Jersey, CBS News reports citing a friend of Grimm's.  Grimm, age 54, was thrown from his horse in September and is now undergoing treatment at the renowned Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, which has locations in West Orange, Saddle Brook, Chester, and Marlton.  Headquartered in West Orange, Kessler is where actor Christopher Reeve was treated following a similar accident in 1995, and was…
Long Island Business Owners Dodge Prison After $1M Sales Tax Fraud Scheme Long Island Business Owners Dodge Prison After $1M Sales Tax Fraud Scheme
Long Island Business Owners Dodge Prison After $1M Sales Tax Fraud Scheme Two Long Island business owners will avoid prison after confessing that they intentionally dodged income taxes to line their pockets. Brian Soltan, age 62, of West Islip, and Gerald McCrystal, age 51, of Dix Hills, were both ordered to pay six-figure restitution payments in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 26. According to prosecutors, Soltan admitted that he intentionally failed to report more than $2.8 million in taxable sales between January 2011 and November 2015 from several auto body businesses he owned in East Islip. Those companies included Long Island Auto Body, Long Islan…
$100M Scheme: Northern Westchester Man Known As 'Magician' Nabbed In One Of Largest Ever Frauds $100M Scheme: Northern Westchester Man Known As 'Magician' Nabbed In One Of Largest Ever Frauds
$100M Scheme: Northern Westchester Man Known As 'Magician' Nabbed In One Of Largest Ever Frauds A New York man known as "the Magician" has been charged in connection with one of the largest-ever tax fraud schemes by a tax preparer, federal officials announced. Northern Westchester County resident Rafael Alvarez, of Cortlandt Manor, has been charged in connection with a $100 million tax fraud scheme involving tens of thousands of federal individual income tax returns with false information, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Monday, April 15.  According to federal officials, from 2010 to 2020, Alvarez, also known as "the Magi…
Long Island Business Owner Sentenced For Hiding Income, 'Off-Books' Payrolls, More Long Island Business Owner Sentenced For Hiding Income, 'Off-Books' Payrolls, More
Long Island Business Owner Sentenced For Hiding Income, 'Off-Books' Payrolls, More A Long Island woman must pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of restitution and spend over two years behind bars after she filed false tax returns, hid money from the government, and more, officials said. Lorraine Pilitz, age 65 of Merrick, received her 33-month sentence and orders for restitution on Friday, Jan. 19, the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York announced. Pilitz was the owner and operator of several car-related businesses on Long Island at the time of the crimes, which happened between 2011 and 2013, the USAO said. The IRS requires that financial in…
Illegal Oxy Distribution, Fake Tax Returns: Long Island Man Sentenced For Scheme Illegal Oxy Distribution, Fake Tax Returns: Long Island Man Sentenced For Scheme
Illegal Oxy Distribution, Fake Tax Returns: Long Island Man Sentenced For Scheme A Long Island man will spend years behind bars for filling fraudulent oxycodone prescriptions for cash at his pharmacy, leading to the overdose of at least one person. Daniel E. Russo, age 44 of Cedarhurst, was sentenced to 60 months in prison on Wednesday, Nov. 29 for a handful of charges related to a scheme he ran at his Queens pharmacy for years, the US Attorney’s Eastern District of New York (EDNY) announced. Russo, who was the owner and operator of Russo’s Pharmacy in Far Rockaway, Queens, conspired with medical professionals and employees alike to fill hundreds of fake oxycodone pre…
$2M Scheme: 6 Steal Property Deeds, Obtain Fraudulent Loans In Westchester, DA Says $2M Scheme: 6 Steal Property Deeds, Obtain Fraudulent Loans In Westchester, DA Says
$2M Scheme: 6 Steal Property Deeds, Obtain Fraudulent Loans In Westchester, DA Says Six people, including a licensed real estate broker and salesperson, and a corporation, have been charged with defrauding homeowners in Westchester and fraudulently obtaining $2 million in loans by stealing property deeds, DA officials said.  The six defendants involved in the scheme, including three Westchester residents and a Long Island man, were arrested and arraigned in late June for their role in a scheme that allegedly defrauded homeowners in Yonkers and New Rochelle, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, July 3.  According to officials, the…
Tax Fraud: LI Businesswoman Owed $49K In Unpaid Taxes, DA Says Tax Fraud: LI Businesswoman Owed $49K In Unpaid Taxes, DA Says
Tax Fraud: LI Businesswoman Owed $49K In Unpaid Taxes, DA Says A Long Island businesswoman who once made six figures could spend more than six years in prison for tax fraud, authorities said. West Hempstead resident Cynthia Ciaccio, age 62, was arraigned in Nassau County Court on Tuesday, April 4, for allegedly failing to pay over $49,000 in personal income taxes. Ciaccio was the vice president and COO of office product retailer Weeks Lerman at the time, according to her LinkedIn profile.  Nassau County prosecutors allege that she failed to file New York State personal income tax returns from 2017 through 2020. During that time, Ciaccio had a…
Jury Finds Trump Organization Guilty On All Counts In NY Tax Fraud Case Jury Finds Trump Organization Guilty On All Counts In NY Tax Fraud Case
Jury Finds Trump Organization Guilty On All Counts In NY Tax Fraud Case A New York jury has found former President Donald Trump’s company guilty of all charges in a tax fraud scheme that prosecutors said spanned more than a decade. Jurors deliberated for just over a day before finding the Trump Organization guilty on 17 counts, including criminal tax fraud, conspiracy, and falsifying business records, in State Supreme Court in Manhattan Tuesday, Dec. 6. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the scheme was orchestrated by “high managerial agents”, including chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg and controller Jeffrey McConney. BREAKING: For the …
NY Doctor Sentenced for Filing False Tax Returns, Ordered To Pay $245,212 NY Doctor Sentenced for Filing False Tax Returns, Ordered To Pay $245,212
NY Doctor Sentenced for Filing False Tax Returns, Ordered To Pay $245,212 A New York doctor will avoid prison after admitting that he filed false tax returns. Albany County resident Ehab Kodsi, age 56, of Watervliet, was sentenced to pay $245,212 in restitution and pay an additional $25,000 fine Thursday, Nov. 3, in federal court in Albany. The sentence followed Kodsi’s guilty plea to filing a false tax return and admission that he deliberately underreported revenue from both his pain management company in Queensbury, in Warren County, and his real estate company between 2015 and 2018. He was also accused of improperly deducting personal and business expenses.…
Employee At NY Pharmaceutical Company Admits To Embezzling $1.38M, Tax Fraud Employee At NY Pharmaceutical Company Admits To Embezzling $1.38M, Tax Fraud
Employee At NY Pharmaceutical Company Admits To Embezzling $1.38M, Tax Fraud A former employee at a New York pharmaceutical company has admitted to embezzling nearly $1.5 million and committing tax fraud. Long Island resident Maria Porras, age 32, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of grand larceny and tax fraud Friday, Sept. 30, in Nassau County court. Prosecutors said Porras worked as an officer manager at RxUSA in Port Washington, where her duties gave her access to the company’s bookkeeping system. Over a five-year period between 2015 and 2019, she generated checks written from RxUSA’s account and from the accounts of two other affiliated companies, Eveready Wh…
Former Employee At Westchester Car Dealership Sentenced For $300K Tax Fraud Former Employee At Westchester Car Dealership Sentenced For $300K Tax Fraud
Former Employee At Westchester Car Dealership Sentenced For $300K Tax Fraud A Long Island man will spend time behind bars after being sentenced for his role in a $300,000 embezzlement scheme to defraud the Westchester auto dealership he worked at, state authorities announced. Moriches resident James Castellano, age 55, was sentenced to a term of between two and six years in prison for embezzling more than $300,000 from Hyundai of New Rochelle, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Officials said that in 2017, while an employee at the Palmer Avenue dealership, Castellano diverted more than $307,000 in checks made out to Hyundai into his…
Ex-NY Pharmaceutical Company Employee Accused Of Embezzling More Than $1.38M Ex-NY Pharmaceutical Company Employee Accused Of Embezzling More Than $1.38M
Ex-NY Pharmaceutical Company Employee Accused Of Embezzling More Than $1.38M A former bookkeeper for a New York pharmaceutical company is facing a host of charges after being busted embezzling more than a million dollars from her former employer, authorities announced. Long Island resident Maria Porras, age 32, of Massapequa Park, a former office manager for the now-defunct Port Washington-based RXUSA in Nassau County, was arraigned on an 11-count indictment for allegedly stealing more than $1.38 million from three affiliated businesses tied to her boss. Specifically, Porras was charged with: Three counts of second-degree grand larceny; Four counts of criminal t…
Trump Organization Faces New Criminal Inquiry By Westchester District Attorney's Office Trump Organization Faces New Criminal Inquiry By Westchester District Attorney's Office
Trump Organization Faces New Criminal Inquiry By Westchester District Attorney's Office Former President Donald Trump’s family business is facing potential new legal woes in Westchester after the District Attorney’s Office subpoenaed records from his golf club. First reported by the New York Times, Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah’s office has started examining the financial dealings at the Briarcliff Manor golf club, subpoenaing records from the course, Trump National Golf Club Westchester, and the town of Ossining, which sets property taxes on the course. The full scope of the investigation has not been released, though the report states that the Trump Organi…
Trump Organization, CFO Charged With 15 Felonies For Alleged Years-Long Tax Scheme Trump Organization, CFO Charged With 15 Felonies For Alleged Years-Long Tax Scheme
Trump Organization, CFO Charged With 15 Felonies For Alleged Years-Long Tax Scheme The Trump Organization and its longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg have been charged with 15 felony counts in an effort to evade taxes over the course of 15 years, according to a newly unsealed indictment released in federal court. Weisselberg, who is accused of evading nearly $2 million in taxes, surrendered to Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance Jr. on Thursday, July 1, and pleaded not guilty to felony charges that include criminal tax fraud, conspiracy, and falsifying business records. He was released following the court appearance, though his passport had to be surrendered to the court. The charges rep…
Employee Accused Of Stealing More Than $143,000 From Long Island Business Employee Accused Of Stealing More Than $143,000 From Long Island Business
Employee Accused Of Stealing More Than $143,000 From Long Island Business A Long Island woman is facing time behind bars after allegedly stealing thousands from a company that provides services to children with developmental delays. Huntington Station woman Patricia Sales, age 46, was arrested this week after she allegedly stole more than $143,000 from her employer while working as the Director of Finance for All About Kids. Specifically, Sales was charged with a felony count of second-degree grand larceny. Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said that as part of her duties at All About Kids, Sales had access to the company’s payroll and accounting …
Nassau Business Owner Admits To $8M Tax Fraud Nassau Business Owner Admits To $8M Tax Fraud
Nassau Business Owner Admits To $8M Tax Fraud Two Long Island auto shops and their owner have been convicted of underreporting more than $8 million in taxable sales over the course of a decade, authorities said. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Friday, March 26 that Freeport resident Luis Crespo, the owner of Broadway Towing, Inc. and Broadway Auto & Towing, Inc. pleaded guilty to criminal tax fraud for failing to pay more than $700,000 in sales tax. Crespo, 53, also pleaded guilty to petit larceny and agreed to pay the state more than $900,000 in restitution. James said that between 2009 and 2018, a joint inve…
Trump Calls Out NY AG By Name During 46-Minute Facebook Video Trump Calls Out NY AG By Name During 46-Minute Facebook Video
Trump Calls Out NY AG By Name During 46-Minute Facebook Video President Donald Trump was in a “New York State of Mind” this week during a 46-minute speech in which he called out the state's attorney general, Letitia James, for investigating his organization. During his lengthy diatribe shown on Facebook, Trump expressed concerns about the various fraud investigations launched by James’ office and by other prosecutors in New York that he will have to confront when he leaves office next month. James was the only New York prosecutor that Trump called out by name as the AG investigates his company over claims that he falsified his assets to ascertain ille…
13 Nabbed In $1 Million Long Island Tax Fraud Scheme 13 Nabbed In $1 Million Long Island Tax Fraud Scheme
13 Nabbed In $1 Million Long Island Tax Fraud Scheme Thirteen people were arrested and charged on a 108-count indictment on Wednesday for their roles in a massive tax fraud scheme that involved at least 10 suspects on Long Island. Prosecutors in Suffolk County announced on Wednesday, Sept. 23 that they’ve charged 13 people in a scheme that net them more than $1 million by stealing personal identification to create new identifies that were used to get loans and credit cards. The scheme targeted at least 20 people on Long Island and more than a dozen banks. It is alleged that the fraudsters stole Social Security numbers from vulnerable parties…