Taxi Co. Owner Underreported Income By $10,000 Over 2 Years: DA

NYACK, NY — Indictments have been unsealed accusing the owner of Nyack Taxi and A-One Transportation and three employees of a conspiracy to defraud state and county government agencies of more than $95,000 in welfare benefits, income tax and other revenue.

Angel Henriquez of 45 Church Street in Garnerville is charged with:

• Two counts of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, class “E” Felonies in New York State Tax Law
• Two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, class "E" Felonies
• Two counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, class “E” Felonies

Henriquez was indicted for underreporting his income to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance in 2013 and 2014 by more than $10,000. He was also indicted and accused of filing false personal income tax returns, thereby stealing thousands of dollars in the form of tax refunds from the State of New York.

“This is the type of crime that makes every taxpayer a victim because the government and the public are cheated out of money to fund vital programs, services and infrastructure," said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe.

Henriquez and A-One Transportation were also indicted and accused of Failing to Secure Worker’s Compensation Insurance for employees and Failing to Secure Unemployment Insurance for employees.

In a related count, Henriquez was indicted and accused of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class “E” Felony, for allegedly filing a document with the New York State Worker’s Compensation Board falsely claiming that A-One Transportation had no employees.

In a separate alleged scheme, Henriquez and his wife, Karolina Diaz De Henriquez were indicted and accused of filing three false documents which understated Angel Henriquez’s income, allowing the defendants to receive more than $25,000 in Medicaid benefits to which they were not entitled. Those charges include:

• One count of Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, a class "D" Felony
• Three counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, class “E” Felonies

Additionally, Henriquez’s business associate, Richard Morel of 170 Ramapo Road, Garnerville was indicted and accused of underreporting his income to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance in 2013 and 2014 by more than $12,000.

Morel was also indicted and accused of filing false personal income tax returns and stealing thousands of dollars in the form of tax refunds from the State of New York. Morel was indicted for the following charges:

• Two counts of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, class “E” Felonies in New York
State Tax Law
• Two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, class "E" Felonies
• Two counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, class “E” Felonies

Finally, James Simpson of 74 West Railroad Ave. in West Haverstraw was indicted and accused of stealing from the Rockland Department of Social Services. Simpson, who was employed as a driver with Nyack Taxi/A-One Transportation, is charged with filing false documents which understated his income and receiving over $8,000 in Medicaid benefits to which he was not entitled.

Henriquez, the owner and operator of Nyack Taxi, North Rockland Taxi and Car Service and Apple Taxi, was accused in March of writing fraudulent letters to the Rockland County Department of Social Services on behalf of five employees. At the time, five people were arrested and the Rockland County District Attorney's Office said more arrests were expected.

The arraignments of four people were announced Thursday.

SEE: Taxi Company Owner, Staff, Wife Accused In Welfare Scheme

The investigation was conducted by the Rockland County District Attorney's Office Special Investigations Unit, the Rockland County Department of Social Services, the Office of the New York State Inspector General, the New York State Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Arraignments for Angel and Karolina Henriquez are scheduled for Sept. 26. The arraignment for Morel is Sept. 12 and Simpson’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 13.

The defendants face a maximum of seven years in prison. Executive Assistant District Attorney Richard Kennison Moran is prosecuting the case.