Residents in New York may well have heard reports about people being accused of and charged with criminal offenses for tax fraud. It is important to know that offenses involving tax fraud allegations do not always have to relate to federal income tax paid to the Internal Revenue Service. In addition, tax fraud may be connected with one particular type of product or transaction. That is what 14 people in upstate New York are learning today after their recent arrests.
Reports indicate that the members of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, New York State Tax Enforcement Unit and municipal law enforcement in Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott and Town of Union worked together to arrest 14 people who either worked at or owned 11 different convenience stores. It is also said that more people may be arrested in this case. Most of the charges against the defendants are misdemeanors for either fifth degree criminal tax fraud or the possession or sale of untaxed cigarettes. One man has also been charged with fourth degree criminal tax fraud which is a felony.
Few details about what specifically the defendants are alleged to have done are known. Tobacco tax fraud may sometimes involve people purchasing cigarettes without paying taxes or paying minimal tax and then reselling the products with higher taxes. For now, the defendants are not considered guilty.
When a criminal investigation is underway, defendants in New York might want to find an attorney to work with who can explain the charges, the process and the defense options to them.
Source: Press Connects, “Tobacco tax fraud bust nets 14 arrests in Broome County,” Anthony Borrelli, December 8, 2017