DISTRICT ATTORNEY - NEW YORK COUNTY

NEWS RELEASE
July 9, 2009

Contact: Alicia Maxey Greene
212-335-9400

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today the arrest and guilty plea of a Manhattan attorney for failure to collect New York City and State withholding tax from his employees’ wages in the amount of $51,916.

The defendant, IVAN S. FISHER, 65, today pleaded guilty to one count of a class A misdemeanor in violation of Tax Law §1806(a). FISHER agrees to pay $68,517.50 in tax, interest and penalties to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. FISHER must also pay $10,000 in criminal fines. If he does not fully comply with the plea agreement he will be sentenced to one year in jail.

The investigation leading to the guilty plea revealed that during the period of April 1, 2006 through September 30, 2008, FISHER failed to collect withholding tax from his employees’ wages at his law firm, located at 251 E. 61st Street, and remit it to the State.

In 1989, FISHER previously pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts stating that he “knowingly and willfully” failed to file his 1982 federal personal income return and failed to pay his estimated federal personal income taxes for 1983 and 1984.

Mr. Morgenthau thanked Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Deputy Commissioner William Comiskey and their staff. Stan Millstein and Darlene Lynch of the High Value Team of the Collections Division and Auditor Festus Anaemeji and Deputy Director Bruce Kato of the Criminal Enforcement Divison assisted in the case.

Assistant District Attorney Gilda I. Mariani, Chief of the Money Laundering and Tax Crimes Unit investigated and prosecuted this case, assisted by Senior Accountant Investigator Accountant Michael Lentini, Financial Chief Investigator Robert Demarest. The District Attorney’s Office Squad Captain Ronald Haas and Detective Lawrence White also assisted in the investigation.

Defendant Information:

IVAN FISHER, 8/26/1943
c/o Loews Regency Hotel
540 Park Avenue
New York, New York

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