New York Sales Tax Fraud

Sales Tax Fraud can be a simple crime to commit, but it is one that is taken very seriously because it harms the public by depriving a local or state government of revenue that is, now more than ever, sorely needed. A New York Sales Tax Fraud Lawyer will explain to you that, if you evade the payment, reporting, or assessing of sales tax, you can be charged with this crime. To best protect yourself and your rights, the experienced team at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC offers you a free consultation on how we can begin constructing your defense.

Any District Attorney in New York City, on Long Island in Nassau County or Suffolk County, as well as the District Attorney in Westchester County can bring Sales Tax Fraud charges against you if you engage in any activity with the deliberate intent to avoid paying the sales tax you owe. For example, you commit this crime if you:

• Understate the total of a sale—or "skim" the proceeds and underreport the amount you actually received.
• File inaccurate returns with the intent of evading payment of tax.
• Make a sale "off the books," so that your sales totals don't in fact reflect your actual sales.
• Misrepresent a tax exemption.
• Fail to report the sale of an item shipped out of state (if you have a business presence in the state to which the item is shipped).
• Create false documentation to show that items were shipped out of state when they were not.

Sales Tax Fraud is clearly a crime that is usually committed by a retailer or seller. However, it is important to understand that a buyer—especially a company making a large purchase out of state—is sometimes responsible for paying sales tax to the state or local government. Neglecting to do so may also constitute Sales Tax Fraud. Protect your interest if you are charged with Tax Fraud. An experienced New York Criminal Lawyer can protect your rights with viable defenses to certain situations.

If you are found guilty of Sales Tax Fraud, you can be subject to jail time and/or fines. For this reason, it's important to call 800.696.9529 and talk to us at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC about setting up an initial consultation, at no cost to you. You can choose to meet with us in any of our several convenient New York City-area locations—in any of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn), in Westchester County, in Nassau County, or in our Suffolk County office.