NEW YORK: A liquor store owner who pleaded guilty to smuggling alcohol into New York and evading tax payments of US$673,992 could face up to 20 years in prison.
Dilip Patel, 49, of Delaware, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and agreed to repay the amount of excise tax lost.
Patel owned and operated a retail liquor store in Cecil County, called Chesaspeake Wine and Spirits.
His plea agreement states that from January 2011 to January 2012, several smugglers from New York ordered bulk alcohol from the store over the phone.
The smugglers then drove to the store and paid for the liquor in cash before driving back to New York.
The group failed to file reports with the state of New York detailing the transportation of the alcohol to the state, thus evaded paying any excise taxes.
In addition to repaying the excise value, Patel agreed to the seizure of US$11,000 from the store’s operating account.
