A Michigan couple from Okemos was charged with 48 tax-related felonies, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
David Delacruz, 55, and Tamara Delacruz, 50, have owned and operated Otra Vez, LLC, which does business as Tacos E Mas, 3500 S. Cedar Street.
The charges include:
- 31 counts of permitting the filing of a false sales tax return
- 14 counts of failing to file a sales tax return
- Three counts of failing to file an income tax return
“We rely on business owners, regardless of how large or small, to abide by the law and pay their fair share,” Nessel said. “In this case, they not only cheated the system, but their scheme deprived the state School Aid Fund of $175,000.”
Beginning in 2015, the couple allowed monthly sales tax returns to be filed on behalf of Otra Vez indicating no sales for the month or faile to file the required monthly sales tax return.
The returns indicating no monthly sales were false – Otra Vez did, in fact, have sales every month.
Otra Vez is accused of collecting sales tax on each sale at the restaurant, totaling more than $250,000 in sales tax, but never remitted the amount collected to the Michigan Department of Treasury as required by law.
The couple is also accused of consistently failing to file personal income tax returns since 2014.
