Auto Body Shop, Furniture Business Owners Each Pleaded Guilty to Stealing State Taxes After Failing to Report Taxable Sales
Two business owners were each sentenced for stealing nearly $1 million in sales tax after they failed to report taxable sales.
Between January 2011 and
November 2015, Bryan Soltan failed to report approximately $2,817,951 in taxable sales from several businesses he owned in East Islip, including Long Island Auto Body, Inc., Long Island Auto Collision, Inc., Long Island Towing & Auto Body, Inc., Long Island Towing & Collision, Inc., East Islip’s Auto Collision, Inc., East Islip Collision, Inc., and High-End Collision, Inc., resulting in $244,799 in stolen sales taxes.
From February 2008 to November 2015, Gerald McCrystal failed to report $8,979,157 in taxable sales from his Farmingdale-based businesses, including Levetz, Inc., Roma Fli Corporation, and Roma New York, Inc., resulting in $744,865 in stolen sales taxes. Both defendants admitted to intentionally failing to remit funds collected on behalf of New York State.
On September 18, 2019, Soltan, 62, of West Islip pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny, a class D felony. As a condition of his plea, Soltan was required to pay $250,000 in restitution prior to his sentencing on June 26, 2024.
On June 26, 2024, McCrystal, 51, of Dix Hills pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny, a Class E felony. He was required to pay $745,000 in restitution as a condition of his plea.
“The deliberate theft of tax dollars is a serious offense that undermines the integrity of our tax system and places an unfair burden on law-abiding citizens and businesses,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Both defendants collected sales tax from customers, fraudulently underreported taxable sales on dozens of returns, and then failed to remit that money to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. These cases serve as clear reminders that tax fraud will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to cheat the system will be held accountable for their actions.”