Our San Jose tax attorneys recently learned that a high-end car dealer who did not pay $400,000 worth of sales tax due to under-reporting sales in San Jose, was sentenced to prison for three years.

Mohammad Hassan Mostavfi, the 31-year-old salesman, was convicted after the California Tax department, as well as the Fee Administration and Criminal Investigation, identified his inpropriety. The results of the investigations and audits yielded more than enough evidence to convict Mr. Mostavfi.

In his tax documents, Mr Mostavfi had reported having earned $1.8 million in vehicle sales; while in truth he had earned $6.8 million, as per the office of the attorney in the district.

On October 24, the prosecutor had said that Mostafvi was convicted for three years based on the three counts of sales tax evasion he had committed. A restitution hearing has been scheduled by the Superior county judge in Santa Clara, Drew Takaichi to be held on March 9th.

Mostafvi’s business had been operating on West San Carlos street from June 2006 until May 2012.

The original state audit revealed that the defendant was late in filing his tax returns and sales payments.

They would go on to discover the tax fraud shortly thereafter. The San Jose district attorney has confirmed that Mr. Mostafvi’s car selling license has been revoked, and his business has been closed.

The Deputy District attorney, Erica Engin made it clear that tax fraud is by no means a victim-less crime. Sales taxes go toward public interests like protecting neighborhoods, filling potholes and keeping our parks beautiful. Fraud of this sort is a crime against the community; not just the government.

Our tax lawyers are committed to informing the public about matters concerning tax law and the Internal Revenue Service. If you have a tax related story you would like us to cover on our blog, feel free to write to us, or send a link to info@taxhelpers.com