Buffalo attorney sentenced for tax evasion

Listen to this article

A Buffalo attorney who skimmed his employees’ withholding taxes was sentenced Monday to a conditional discharge and ordered to pay $21,281 in restitution.

David J. Seeger, 57, the principal attorney of his Delaware Avenue law office, David Seeger PC, had pleaded guilty in July to misdemeanor counts of attempted grand larceny and criminal tax fraud, charges filed by the state Department of Taxation and Finance and prosecuted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.

Seeger admitted before Erie County Court Judge Thomas P. Franczyk that he tried to steal the money by collecting withholding tax on behalf of his law firm employees for 2009 through 2012, but did not remit the funds to the state as required by law. Seeger was also ordered to provide 100 hours of community service within the next four months.

In New York state, 96 percent of taxes are paid by businesses and individuals who voluntarily meet their tax responsibilities, according to a Tax Department release. The remaining 4 percent is collected through the department’s audit, collections and criminal investigations programs. Tax evasion and fraud can confidentially be reported online at www.tax.ny.gov/reporttaxfraud.htm or by calling (518) 457-0578.