Ravert
GOSHEN – The owner of a payroll preparation company in Chester pled guilty in Orange County Court to stealing close to $234,000 from his clients. He stole close to $148,000 from one client alone.
John Ravert, 54, pled guilty on Wednesday to felony charges of grand larceny, scheme to defraud, and repeated failure to file personal income tax returns.
Ravert admitted that since 2007 he had engaged in a scheme to steal from
clients of his payroll company, which had done business as Reliant Business
Solutions, Inc., Tomes Plus and Reliant Business Services. He admitted
that he stole from at least 14 clients, many of whom operated businesses
in Chester.
In addition to being hired to prepare payrolls for client companies, he would assist them in filing payroll taxes to the state and IRS. He had their permission to make electronic withdrawals from their bank accounts to pay the quarterly taxes, but instead, stole the money without paying the taxes.
Under terms of the plea agreement reached in the case, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler’s office will recommend Ravert be sentenced to two to six years in state prison if he makes restitution to his victims.