Staten Island Tax Fraud Lawyer

Tax Fraud

Providing Defense Counsel in Staten Island, NY, Tax Fraud Cases

When an individual Staten Island resident or a company operating out of Staten Island, NY, is accused of tax fraud at the state or federal level, the case can involve a protracted and expensive investigation, tedious and disruptive legal proceedings, and an incredible amount of stress as the subject of the tax fraud investigation manages these issues. If your company is charged with any kind of tax evasion or tax fraud, the situation can completely interrupt day-to-day operations, jeopardize your entire business model, even threaten the future of your company. When individuals are charged with tax fraud, they face severe consequences that can influence their personal and professional lives for many years.

Attorney Michael Vitaliano is an experienced Staten Island tax fraud defense attorney who can provide the legal counsel you need during this challenging case. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the New York state tax authorities pursue tax fraud and tax evasion cases quite aggressively. If you or your company is found liable for any type of tax fraud, you could face years of financial penalties, a damaged public image, and even incarceration, depending on the breadth and depth of the tax offenses. Therefore, you need an attorney who can help you navigate the tax investigation your case entails, gather the records you need to prove the truth of the situation, and help you understand all your available defense options.

Why Should I Hire a Tax Fraud Attorney in Staten Island, New York?

You may think that the IRS or New York Department of Taxation and Finance (NYDTF) has made a mistake or that you have done nothing wrong when it comes to your current tax offense case. Unfortunately, ignorance of your tax obligations is not a viable defense if these agencies have filed legal proceedings against you for any type of tax fraud. If you incorrectly filed your taxes in previous years, or if you forgot to claim certain types of income, or if you mischaracterized any element of your tax filings, even unintentionally, you could face severe legal penalties.

Hiring an experienced Staten Island tax fraud defense attorney is the best way to handle this situation. While the IRS and NYDTF are typically meticulous and detail-oriented in their fraud investigations, errors and computer glitches can happen. As a result, the charges against you may be insubstantial due to issues along these lines. However, you will need to complete extensive document discovery, gathering your tax and income records, and navigating various proceedings to put the situation to rest. In addition, if you have made mistakes with your tax filings in recent years, you are going to need an attorney to help you reach a mutually agreeable settlement with the appropriate tax authorities so you can avoid prison, heavy fines, and other legal penalties.

Public defenders are available free of charge to any New York residents charged with criminal offenses if they cannot afford private defense representation or do not wish to pay attorneys’ fees. While many public defenders are reliable and capable attorneys, they typically cannot provide their clients much individual attention due to their busy caseloads. In addition, a public defender may not have the flexibility to effectively navigate the complex tax codes and statutes that are likely to come into play in your case. Working with a private Staten Island tax fraud defense lawyer like Attorney Michael Vitaliano offers a much higher level of defense counsel for your tax fraud case, allowing you to approach the situation with greater confidence.

Common Examples of Tax Offenses That Lead to Criminal Investigations

Attorney Vitaliano can provide comprehensive defense counsel in a wide range of tax-related criminal cases. Some of the most commonly filed tax-related criminal cases in Staten Island, New York include:

• Conspiracy. A conspiracy is any organized effort of two or more people to commit tax-related offenses. Conspiracy is often added to tax fraud cases that involve multiple defendants. For example, if multiple members of the same company conspire to commit tax fraud of any kind, all participants can face criminal charges for their activities. In addition, they will likely face charges related to their exact offenses, with conspiracy added due to the organized and coordinated nature of their activities.
• Falsified documents and false statements. Whenever you file any tax-related documents to the IRS or NYDTF, you must ensure everything included in those documents is complete and accurate. It is also often necessary to provide supporting documentation for some of these filings. Knowingly making false statements to any tax authority or falsifying tax-related documents can lead to some of the most severe tax fraud penalties at the state and federal levels.
• Failure to file tax returns. The Internal Revenue Code defines failure to pay taxes owed, file tax returns, maintain reasonable records, and supply required information as criminal actions. Whenever any of these things are owed, the IRS enforces a six-year statute of limitations to pursue failure to file actions against the taxpaying entity.
• Aiding in the preparation of falsified tax documents. Some tax professionals and accountants could face legal penalties for helping clients, friends, or family members commit any tax fraud. For example, if a tax professional accepts a payment from a taxpayer to help the taxpayer file a fraudulent return, the tax professional could face criminal prosecution along with the taxpayer.
• Tax evasion. It is illegal to make any intentional effort to evade your tax obligations at the state or federal levels. “Tax evasion” is a relatively broad term that can apply to any action intended to reduce a taxpayer’s tax obligation, claiming credits that the taxpayer is not legally eligible to claim, or fraudulently increasing the taxpayer’s tax refund.

Suppose you are accused of committing any of these tax-related offenses. In that case, you must speak with an experienced Staten Island tax fraud defense attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney can help you determine your best approach to defense. You may need to prove that you did not knowingly commit the offenses in question or provide information to prove that the actions you took were legitimate and reasonable. If you unknowingly committed tax fraud, your attorney could help you negotiate a fair solution with the relevant tax authority to potentially help you settle your tax liability without incurring criminal penalties.

Attorney Michael Vitaliano can provide the comprehensive defense representation you need to navigate any tax fraud case with clarity. If you are ready to speak with a Staten Island tax fraud defense lawyer about your situation, contact Attorney Vitaliano today and schedule a free consultation.