Woodside nightclub fined $1m for cooking the books: DA – QNS.com
The owner of a Woodside nightclub has been hit with a $1million fine for falsifying his numbers.
The New York State Department of Tax and Finance and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mamajuana Cafe Queens, a Dominican restaurant and bar located at 33-15 56th St., and its owner Oscar Monegro, had pleaded guilty to several crimes, including robbery. and criminal tax evasion.
Between December 2012 and February 2020, Monegro collected at least $1 million in sales tax from customers of its company, Culturas Fiesta Corporation, doing business as Mamajuana Queens. He underreported sales and did not send collected sales tax to New York State, as required by law.
“Defendant and his company, Culturas Fiesta Corporation, have admitted guilt of stealing at least $1 million in tax revenue paid by customers in order to line their own pockets,” Katz said. “Tax evasion hurts our economy and diverts funds from vital public programs. This will not exist in Queens County, and we thank the State Department of Taxation and Finance for their partnership in harming the defendant in court. He was ordered to pay restitution, which will help fund community services.
Mamajuana Queens is at the intersection of Broadway and 56th Street, just south of Northern Boulevard. NYS Tax Department investigators uncovered the crimes by analyzing sales tax and corporation tax returns. In total, Monegro was ordered to repay $1 million in damages.
“Business owners who steal sales tax paid by their customers are depriving their communities of revenue for vital public programs and services and putting law-abiding businesses at a disadvantage,” the Acting New State Commissioner said. York to Tax and Finance, Amanda Hiller. “We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to uncover tax evasion and level the playing field for all businesses.”
Mamajuana is a spicy alcoholic drink popular in the Dominican Republic made by infusing rum, red wine and honey which is left to ferment in jars with tree bark, honey and spices for months to that time.
Tax evasion and evasion can be reported to the tax department website or by phone at 518-457-0578. The information is kept confidential and the Department of Taxation promptly reviews each complaint and tax remedy as appropriate, officials said.
