Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Michael J. DePalma, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Christopher B. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announce that defendant Sonny Austin Ramdeo, 35, of Sunrise, pled guilty in connection with a $20 million federal payroll tax fraud scheme to two counts of fraud by use of wires and money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1956(a)(1)(B)(i).
According to court documents, from as early as 2005, defendant Ramdeo was employed as the payroll supervisor at Promise Healthcare, Inc. (Promise Healthcare) and Success Healthcare Group (Success Healthcare), both of which owned and operated hospital facilities throughout the United States. As payroll supervisor for these two companies, Ramdeo was responsible for overseeing the payment of bi-weekly wages and related payroll taxes for more than 3,500 employees.
To execute his scheme, Ramdeo allegedly incorporated PayServ Tax Inc., and thereafter represented to officers and employees of Promise Healthcare that PayServ Tax would handle the transfer of local, state and federal payroll taxes to the proper agencies on behalf of Promise Healthcare and Success Healthcare. In fact, however, Ramdeo kept the monies paid by Promise and Success Healthcare to PayServ and used the funds to open and operate EZ Jet Airlines between Guyana and New York.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and HHS-OIG. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen L. Cohen.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
