(Lawfuel)- R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael E. Yasofsky, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, announced today that defendant James H. Batmasian, age 61, of Boca Raton, Florida, pled guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra at the Federal Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida. At today’s hearing, Batmasian pled guilty to a one count Information charging him with willfully failing to collect and pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes of employees of his Boca Raton company, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 11, 2008 at 10:30 a.m.
The Information charged Batmasian with failing to collect and pay the federal employment taxes for the first quarter of 2001 for his employees. As part of the plea, Batmasian admitted that he failed to collect and pay more than $253,513 in FICA taxes during 2001-2003. Batmasian also admitted that he was responsible for the unpaid taxes. As a part of the plea, Batmasian agreed to pay prior to sentencing the outstanding taxes and to file amended tax returns with the IRS for the years 2001-2003.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the IRS. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey H. Kay of the Fort Lauderdale Office.
