Income tax day is also tax fraud day in construction industry

GOSHEN – Tax fraud is not a victimless crime as it impacts government and workers, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said on Wednesday.

Speaking on the subject of tax fraud in the construction industry, Hoovler said it is a crime of theft.

Scott Smith, business manager of Local 279 of the carpenters union, said contractors are often falsifying their bookkeeping to cheat the system.

“Construction contractors are using underhanded schemes, shell companies, shady bank accounts and check cashing stores to avoid paying employees the full pay that they’ve earned in New York State, and that adds up to over a billion dollars of lost wages every year, impacting tens of thousands of workers,” he said.

Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta and State Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R, Deerpark) echoed the concerns as they spoke with dozens of carpenters union members standing behind them.