Nine defendants collectively defrauded the state out of more than $3.5 million in sales taxes.
By Raghavendra M
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Seven Indian American businessmen have been charged with sales tax evasion and interstate liquor bootlegging and the guilty could face a jail term of up to 15 years.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced charges against nine Chicago liquor store operators after a two-year criminal tax investigation conducted by IDOR’s Criminal Investigations Division, according to a statement.
The seven Indian Americans facing the charges are Cherag Patel, Dipakkumar Patel, Jiggarkumar Patel, Mukesh Patel, Nishant Patel, Rajanikant Patel and Vishal Patel.
“Madigan charged seven defendants today in Cook County Circuit Court with sales tax evasion of more than $100,000, a Class 1 felony punishable by up to four to 15 years in prison. Two additional defendants – 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”, said the statement.
Between July 2010 and December 2013, Madigan alleged, the nine defendants collectively defrauded the state out of more than $3.5 million in sales taxes.
“This should send a message that doing business in Illinois means following the state’s laws without exception,” Attorney General Lisa Madigan was quoted as saying.