Explorer

Indian American businessman sentenced for bribery and tax evasion

Washington, Apr 20 (PTI): An Indian American businessman has been ᨊsentenced to 18 months' probation and 200 hours of community service for bribery and tax evasion, the Department of Justice sai.

Washington, Apr 20 (PTI): An Indian American businessman has been ᨊsentenced to 18 months' probation and 200 hours of community service for bribery and tax evasion, the Department of Justice said.

Arman Amirshahi, 46, was part of one of the several sophisticated and long-term bribery schemes helmed by co-conspirators Anthony Merritt, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and Vincent Slater, former manager in the DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR).

In furtherance of the schemes, four business owners—including Amirshahi, Charles Zhou, Andre De Moya, and Davoud Jafari – paid cash bribes, through Merritt as a middleman, to Slater, to evade their business taxes.

A former employee of the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Merritt held himself out as a permit and licensing expediter and introduced the business owners to the scheme, an official release said on Friday.

For a cut of the bribe payments, Merritt handled communications with the business owners.

Merritt ferried their cash bribe payments to Slater and allowed Slater to maintain apparent distance from them as he fraudulently reduced their liabilities or intervened on their behalf within OTR.

Slater resigned from OTR in December 2017, concluding the schemes, each of which had lasted over five years.

Through their actions, the co-conspirators deprived the District of Columbia of approximately USD3 million, the Department of Justice said.

Each of the defendants was convicted for their role in this conduct.

Amirshahi and Zhou pleaded guilty to bribery in January 2019 and February 2019, respectively.

In 2019, Slater, De Moya, and Merritt were charged in one indictment, and Slater, Jafari, and Merritt were charged in a second indictment. Slater pleaded guilty post-indictment in June 2020.

In June 2023, a jury convicted De Moya and Merritt of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud. In September 2023, Merritt pleaded guilty to the second indictment in which he was charged. In October 2023, the jury convicted Jafari of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud.

Merritt was sentenced to 110 months in prison for his central role in facilitating the separate conspiracies.

For their respective roles, De Moya received a sentence of 30 months; Slater received a sentence of 27 months; and Jafari received a sentence of 24 months. Zhou, the first co-conspirator to cooperate with the government, was sentenced to five years of probation. PTI LKJ AMS

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

'India-Guyana Ties Made Of Soil, Sweat': PM Modi At Guyanese Parliament, Says 'Democracy First, Humanity First'
'India-Guyana Ties Made Of Soil, Sweat': PM Modi At Guyanese Parliament, Says 'Democracy First, Humanity First'
Maharashtra: Two Latest Exit Polls Show Landslide Victory For Mahayuti, BJP To Emerge As Largest Party
Maharashtra: Two Latest Exit Polls Show Landslide Victory For Mahayuti, BJP As Largest Party
Pakistan: Over 50 Killed, 20 Injured As Militants Open Fire On Passenger Vehicles In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pakistan: Over 50 Killed, 20 Injured As Militants Open Fire On Passenger Vehicles In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrants Against Israeli PM Netanyahu, Ex-Minister Gallant
Arrest Warrants Issued Against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Ex-Minister Gallant
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

India Emerges as G20's Growth Leader, Check Out the Latest GDP Rankings | ABP NewsAirtel-Nokia Partnership: Nokia’s Spectacular Comeback, Shakes Up the Telecom Sector | ABP NewsAdani Group in Turmoil: Bribery Scandal Rocks Shares, Plunge by 20% | ABP NewsPLI Scheme: Transforming India's Manufacturing Sector into a Global Powerhouse

Photo Gallery

Embed widget