New York auto repair shop owner convicted of tax fraud

A New York man who owned several auto repair shops in East Islip was convicted of grand theft in June after admitting to sales tax fraud, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced.

Brian Soltan62, of West Islip, pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny in September 2019. He admitted to failing to report approximately $2.8 million in sales between January 2011 and November 2015, resulting in $245,000 in unpaid sales tax.

The sales involved several businesses Soltan 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 Islips Auto Collision, Inc., East Islip Collision, Inc. And High End Collision, Inc.

Soltan had to pay $250,000 in damages before his conviction.

A second New York business owner, Gerald McCrystal51, of Dix Hills, was convicted of fourth-degree grand larceny in connection with a similar crime.

McCrystal failed to report nearly $9 million in sales from its Farmingdale-based furniture stores between February 2008 and November 2015, including Levetz, Inc., Roma Fli Company And Roma New York, Inc.which resulted in unpaid sales tax of $745,000. McCrystal had to pay $745,000 in damages.

“The intentional theft of taxpayer funds is a serious offense that undermines the integrity of our tax system and imposes an unjust burden on law-abiding citizens and businesses. Both defendants collected sales tax from customers, fraudulently underreported taxable sales on dozens of tax returns, and then failed to remit that money to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance,” Tierney said. “These cases are a clear example that tax fraud will not be tolerated and those who attempt to cheat the system will be held accountable for their actions.”