Harrisburg Businessman Sentenced To 18 Months For Tax Fraud

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Paul Biko, age 66, was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in federal prison for tax fraud by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner in Harrisburg.  

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, in 2008, Biko was the owner of three Harrisburg businesses: Clearview of Harrisburg, Clearview Landscaping and Clearview Builders.  As owner, Biko controlled the financial affairs of the three companies including all business bank accounts.  For the fourth quarter of 2008, Biko’s companies withheld employment taxes from employees but failed to pay to the IRS the federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes due to the United States. The Court ordered Biko to pay restitution in the amount of $437,336.

 The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.  Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph J. Terz.

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