New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward announced today that Rafael Vascones, formerly of 13-07 141st St., Whitestone, and former owner and sole corporate officer of Integrated Business Communications, Inc. and NA Networking Group, Inc., both located in Queens, was sentenced recently to pay $65,238 in restitution for felony tax evasion.

Vascones, 53, currently residing at 407 West Pearl Street, Granbury, Texas, failed to file New York State corporate tax returns for Integrated Business for years 1999 through 2002 and signed and filed a false New York State corporate return for NA Networking for 2004.  During this time, Vascones maintained a second separate identity under the name of Orlando Guerini.  

Vascones was also sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay over $300,000 in restitution to banks for mortgage and credit card fraud.

Acting Commissioner Woodward said, “The Tax Department, with support of prosecutors around the state, is committed to pursuing tax scofflaws.  Regardless of profession or how they cheat, these scofflaws force all New Yorkers to shoulder a greater share of the tax burden, taxes that pay for essential services such as health care, education and transportation.  I thank Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and his staff for their aggressive prosecution of these cases.

“The department offers the Voluntary Disclosure and Compliance Program to encourage delinquent taxpayers to become compliant without facing criminal prosecution or civil penalty. It is hoped that this sentence will encourage other taxpayers to come forward and satisfy their tax obligation.  For more information about these programs, go to the Department’s website at www.nystax.gov.”

The case was investigated by staff from the department’s Special Investigations Unit offices in Nassau County, the District Attorney’s Detective Bureau and Special Agents from the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office.

For further details, please refer to the Queens District Attorney's Office press release located at:  http://www.queensda.org/newpressreleases/2009/october/vascones_sen_10_02_2009_sen.pdf