Photo Courtesy of the State Department of Taxation and Finance
Queens DA Richard Brown said that Bachu “allegedly chose to ignore his civic duty for tax years 2012, 2013 and 2014.”
By Forum Staff
A Queens lawyer has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, criminal tax fraud and other charges for failing to file state income taxes for three years in a row, subsequently avoiding the payment of more than $15,000 in personal income taxes owed to the City and State.
“Every citizen of New York City, bears a responsibility to pay their fair share in taxes. Revenue collected through income taxes on behalf of the City and State fund numerous programs that benefit the public interest. The defendant in this case allegedly chose to ignore his civic duty for tax years 2012, 2013 and 2014,” aid District Attorney Brown.
The defendant was identified as Darmin Bachu, 46, of 84th Drive in the Jamaica section of Queens. Bachu was arraigned on a 14-count indictment charging him with third- and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, fourth- and fifth-degree criminal tax fraud, and repeated failure to file tax returns.
Bachu was released on his own recognizance and ordered to return to court on February 8, 2017. If convicted, Bachu faces up to seven years in prison.
According to the indictment, Bachu filed personal federal tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2012, 2013 and 2014. However, it is alleged, that the defendant filed extensions only with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for those same years, but never actually submitted tax returns. The charges also show, a review of bank records that indicated Bachu deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars into his personal bank account for tax years 2012, 2013 and 2014. It is alleged that he stole over $16,000 in City and State funds by failing to pay taxes in those three years on those funds.
