Central NY business owner sentenced on sales tax fraud charges; must pay back $70K
ROME, NY - The owner and operator of an auto sales business in Oneida County has been sentenced for failing to turn in sales taxes he collected over a five year period, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
Ricky J. Hoke, 61, of 4817 Humaston Road, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal tax fraud, a felony. As part of his sentence in Oneida County court, he must pay back the $70,732 he collected in sales tax but didn't remit to the state, the department said.
Hoke was charged with underreporting sales taxes he collected from customers from 2010 to 2015, the department said. He also was sentenced to five years probation.
"When merchants collect tax on automobile sales from customers and fail to remit the tax, they're stealing from the state and the local communities who depend on the sales tax revenue to fund critical public programs and services," said Nonie Manion, acting tax commissioner.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/cny_business_owner_sentenced_on_sales_tax_fraud_charges_must_pay_back_70k.html
