Berks County Businessman Charged With Tax Fraud

Harvey G. Bitler, Sr., 56, of Shillington, PA, was charged today by information with failing to pay over to the government income taxes and social security taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

Bitler was the owner of Big H Farms and BH Farms in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Big H Farms provided labor for mushroom growing facilities and BH Farms employed salaried employees associated with the operation and management of Big H Farms. The information alleges that these companies withheld Medicare and Social Security taxed (FICA taxes) and income taxes from their employees’ paychecks but, between 2007 and 2012, made no payments to the Internal Revenue Service of these withheld taxes. It is further alleged that between 2008 and 2012, BH Farms did not pay over all the taxes withheld in the first quarter of 2008, and made no payments to the Internal Revenue Service for the remaining quarters of those years. In total, for these periods, Bitler withheld but allegedly failed to pay a total of $4,566,572.04.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison and possible restitution to the IRS.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations with the assistance from revenue agents with Small Business and Self-Employed Division of the Internal Revenue Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Glenn.

Click here to view the indictment

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
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