Bergen County Surgeon Pleads Guilty To Tax Crime: Feds

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — An orthopedic surgeon from Hackensack has pleaded guilty to failing to pay taxes withheld from employee paychecks.

Brian Mehling, 61, of Hackensack, pleaded guilty to a count of failing to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes, said the U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday.

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According to court documents and statements made in court, Mehling formed Mehling Office Management LLC, in order to pay himself and other employees of his medical practice.

But he failed to pay to the federal government the money he withheld from employees' paychecks for one quarter in 2014, three quarters in 2015, three quarters in 2016, two quarters in 2017, and one quarter in 2018, causing a loss of more than $1.5 million, said the Justice Department.

To collect Mehling Office Management's payroll taxes, an IRS revenue officer interviewed Mehling. During that interview, officials say, Mehling admitted he used the tax money to pay expenses such as mortgages on his properties.

As part of his plea agreement, Mehling agreed to pay restitution of $1.526 million to the IRS, officials say.

Mehling faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The sentencing is scheduled for March 16.