DISTRICT ATTORNEY - NEW YORK COUNTY

NEWS RELEASE
February 13, 2008

Contact: Barbara Thompson
212-335-9400

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today that the owner of two SoHo deli/restaurants pleaded guilty to evading $550,186 in sales tax.

The defendant, MEIR MASLAVI, owns  two deli-restaurants located in lower Manhattan, both of which go by the name “Miró Cafe.”  One deli is located at 474 Broadway, and the second is located at 594 Broadway. 

MASLAVI pleaded guilty today to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and one count of False Returns or Reports, Utility Tax, Corporate Taxes, or Unincorporated Business Tax.  As a result of his guilty plea, the defendant will pay the amount of stolen sales tax ($550,186), plus interest and penalties, for a total of $1,033,663.80.  In addition, the defendant will  pay $39,819.43 in New York City General Corporation Tax for 2005, plus interest and penalties (totaling $56,718.36) owed to the New York City Department of Finance.

Financial records obtained during the investigation revealed that from September 1, 2000 to September 20, 2007, MASLAVI pocketed $550,186 in sales tax collected by the eateries – the defendant did not report or remit the sales tax he collected to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.  In addition, MASLAVI signed a false 2005 New York City General Corporation Return that underreported the gross receipts for his eatery located at 594 Broadway.

The investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas was conducted by Assistant District Attorney Mark Bini under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gilda Mariani, Chief of the District Attorney’s Money Laundering and Tax Crimes Unit, and was assisted by Senior Computer Forensics Analyst Avram Lanksy, and Investigative Analyst Jason Campaiola.

For their participation in the investigation, Mr. Morgenthau thanked the New York City Department of Finance, and Commissioner Martha Stark; Sales Tax Audit Chief Fernando Gonzalez; the Director of Tax Enforcement, Maureen Kokeas; Auditor Tzvi Harry Mozes; and Investigator David Elam.  Mr. Morgenthau also thanked New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Commissioner Robert L. Megna and his staff, as well as the New York City Police Department and Commissioner Raymond Kelly and District Attorney’s Office (NYPD) Squad Commander Captain Joseph Finn and Detective Walter Burnes.

MEIR MASLAVI, 3/25/1948
46 Monterey Drive
New Hyde Park, N.Y. 11040