Bronx Tax Fraud Lawyer
The tax laws that affect the finances of individuals and businesses in The Bronx are notoriously complex. These laws affect every person in their daily activities. From paying sales tax on a purchase to paying income tax, to assessments upon the value of the property, taxes are a constant presence in The Bronx.
The State relies upon the collection of these taxes to fund everything from road construction to education, to paying police officers. As a result, they take allegations of tax fraud very seriously.
A Bronx tax fraud lawyer could help you if you are facing charges alleging any type of fraud. As these charges range in severity from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies, it is vital that you take an aggressive stance to protect your future with the help of a dedicated defense attorney.
Tax Fraud under State Law
New York’s tax code allows the state to collect taxes on a wide variety of financial transactions. Also, this same code gives the state the authority to investigate and punish alleged fraudulent acts that cheat the state out of revenue. As a result, New York Tax Law §1801 criminalizes and defines tax fraud.
According to the statute, it is illegal for any person or business entity to:
- Fail to submit any report or return required by law
- Submit a tax return that contains known false information
- Participate in any scheme designed to defraud the state out of tax income
Under this definition, a person may commit tax fraud if they fail to pay a required tax. However, it could also involve providing false information on a tax document or even scheming with another party to commit fraud. A Bronx tax fraud lawyer could help a person understanding the charges they are facing.
Fighting to These Allegations in The Bronx
Even though the state’s tax code defines the act of tax fraud, any alleged tax fraud is a criminal offense. As such, a conviction for tax fraud carries criminal penalties. New York Tax Law §1802 says that it is a class A misdemeanor for any person to commit an act of tax fraud. However, this is only the core version of a collection of tax fraud statutes.
As the value of the alleged fraud rises, so too do the attendant penalties. For example, if the alleged fraud is for a value of at least $3,000, the charge changes into a class E felony. The most serious versions of tax fraud involve dollar values more than $1,000,000. These cases are class B felonies that carry a mandatory prison sentence upon conviction as per New York Penal Law.
This makes building a strong defense critical. One common way to do so is to argue that there was no intent to commit fraud. As with any other allegation of criminal fraud, a prosecutor must prove that a defendant intended to defraud the government in addition to providing false information. Therefore, a person may argue that a false entry onto a tax return was a simple mistake and did not carry any fraudulent intent. A Bronx tax fraud lawyer could help analyze the state’s case to develop a defense that would give a person the best chance of success.
A Bronx Tax Fraud Attorney Is Here to Help
A failure to pay taxes with an intent to mislead the government may lead to allegations of tax fraud. A Bronx tax fraud lawyer could help you fight these allegations. They could dedicate the time and resources needed to investigate the paperwork in the case and work to combat the idea that you intended to defraud the state in the payment of taxes. Call today to get started on your case.