Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Shantelle P. Kitchen, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI"), announced today the arrest of SHLOIME TORIM on various fraud charges. TORIM was arrested today, and was presented this afternoon in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith, who ordered him jailed pending the satisfaction of bail conditions.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, Shloime Torim evaded his responsibilities as a taxpayer to the IRS and ultimately to the American people. He will now face his responsibilities as a criminal defendant."
Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen stated: "In order to maintain the public's confidence in the tax system, it is important that the government thoroughly investigates and prosecutes those who willfully obstruct and impede the administration of the tax laws. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to ensuring that everyone pays their fair share and our investigators are skilled in unraveling the complicated schemes that criminals use to conceal income."
According to the Indictment previously filed in White Plains federal court:
SHLOIME TORIM resided in Orange County, New York, and engaged in a variety of income-producing businesses, including car leasing, rentals and real estate. When conducting business, TORIM used multiple identities. At times he used his actual name, “Shloime Torim," and the social security number assigned to him, and other times he used different social security numbers associated with his aliases, such as “Shloime Goldstein," or “Max Gold." TORIM controlled over 100 corporations and other business entities (the “Torim Entities"). Most of the Torim Entities were shell companies and served no purpose other than to conceal TORIM’s income.
From at least 2002 through April 2014, TORIM engaged in a course of conduct calculated to impede and impair the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws by obstructing the IRS in assessing and collecting United States income taxes. TORIM impeded the IRS by using shell companies and corresponding bank accounts to conceal his income, using family members as nominees to disguise his interests in various business accounts, commingling funds among nominee and business accounts, using multiple identities and social security numbers that he obtained under the names “Shloime Torim," “Shloime Goldstein," and “Max Gold," and failing to file individual corporate income tax returns.
TORIM, 76, of Monroe, New York, is charged with one count of endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, five counts of failing to file United States Individual Income tax returns for the tax years 2007 through 2011, each of which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, and two counts of making a false statement to a bank for the purpose of obtaining a loan, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding efforts of IRS-CI and United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division for its significant assistance in the investigation
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Collins, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
The allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
