Posted on 07/07/2007 9:58:08 PM PDT by CaptainK
A subcontractor who provided carpenters to many large-scale home building projects on Long Island pleaded guilty Friday to failing to pay federal taxes on the wages of his workers, many of whom were illegal immigrants from Ecuador working off the books, according to officials.
The plea by Jay Kuhn, the head of Kuhn Brothers Construction of St. James, is just the start of a large-scale federal investigation into illegal practices in the construction industry on Long Island that cheat the government out of tax revenue, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Kuhn pleaded guilty to one count of evading payroll taxes on his workers' wages for the last quarter of 2005, as part of a plea bargain with the Internal Revenue Service in U.S. District Court in Central Islip. He faces between 21 months and 27 months in prison and must pay almost $400,000 in withholding taxes to the IRS as part of the plea.
Kuhn's company employs dozens of carpenters who specialize in framing - erecting the wooden structure of buildings. But his attorney said Kuhn was not solely to blame.
"My client is the victim of a bad immigration policy, caught between immigrants willing to work for low wages and home builders who want the lowest cost," said James O'Rourke of Hauppauge.
O'Rourke said that his client had tried to help some of his workers become citizens, even hiring lawyers for them, but that it was a time-consuming process. He added that many of Kuhn's workers would work only if they were paid off the books.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
"My client is the victim of a bad immigration policy, caught between immigrants willing to work for low wages and home builders who want the lowest cost," said James O'Rourke of Hauppauge.
“”My client is the victim of a bad immigration policy, caught between immigrants willing to work for low wages and home builders who want the lowest cost,” said James O’Rourke of Hauppauge.
O’Rourke said that his client had tried to help some of his workers become citizens, even hiring lawyers for them, but that it was a time-consuming process. He added that many of Kuhn’s”
This policy cost me my development company. I could no longer compete with illegals. I hope this prick dies in jail!!
Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!
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Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!
Republican National Committee
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Take a look at their hidden agenda: http://www.mexica-movement.org
Yep. If he had just given the feds their cut they would have left him alone. Pretty sad isn't it?
The biggest thing missing from that report was how all these illegals were being deported for continuing their crimes. These aren’t undocumented workers, these are people who broke the law crossing the border without permission, taking employment without the proper visa, demanding to be paid under the table to evade taxes. Each crime builds upon the other.
“dozens of carpenters”
Legal carpenters sometimes work for cash and do not pay taxes, a case for
lower tax rates.
Illegal carpenters must have a ‘green card’, don’t they?
If you are familiar with the area of St. James (or easter Long Island in general) you would know how true that statement is.
ping
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