Villanova Restaurateur Evaded Taxes For Years: U.S. Attorney​

VILLANOVA, PA – A Villanova man is accused of not reporting more than $2.7 million to the IRS, according to Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.

Esam Salah, 54, was charged by authorities with one count of tax evasion, Lappen's office said.

Salah was the president and sole shareholder of several restaurants in the Philadelphia area between January 2008 and April 2011, Lappen's office said.

During that time, Salah allegedly failed to report $2,769,813 in cash revenue that he used to pay employee salaries at two of his restaurants to the IRS, Lappen's office said.

Salah is also accused of failing to pay about $506,875 for federal employee tax withholding and required Social Security and Medicare taxes, Lappen's office said.

If convicted, Salah could see a maximum five-year prison sentence, three years of supervised release, two fines of $250,000 each, and a special $100 assessment, according to Lappen's office.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Judy G. Smith.

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