Illinois’ Aggressive Sales Tax Enforcement
The state of Illinois is broke and is looking for revenues, penalties, and interest. Unfortunately, many business owners have been underreporting their sales tax and in essence embezzling the government’s money. It’s a catch-22 when your business is failing because your property taxes keep going up, but you have to pay that same state their fair share of sales tax.
Recent Sales Tax Evasion Cases in Chicago
Liquor Store Operators Charged
Nine Chicago liquor store operators were charged with sales tax evasion.
From July 2010 to December 2013, the nine defendants collectively defrauded the state out of more than $3.5 million in sales taxes, according to a statement from the Attorney General’s office.
Felony Charges and Penalties
- Seven operators were charged with sales tax evasion of more than $100,000, a Class 1 felony punishable by up to four to fifteen years in prison.
- Yasir Kanan and Dipakkumar Patel were charged with sales tax evasion of more than $10,000, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to three to seven years in prison, according to the statement.
These charges are the result of a two-year criminal tax investigation into untaxed liquor brought in from out of state by the Illinois Department of Revenue’s Criminal Investigation Division.
How We Can Help
Our office is currently representing a defendant of a sales tax fraud case where funds over $400,000.00 were misapplied.
Your criminal history and other related offenses will make or break your case at times when looking for a favorable plea with the Attorney General’s office.
Get Legal Assistance
Call our office to discuss your sales tax violations and how to repair your credit with the IDOR.