Wheeling Physician Convicted Trial Of Payroll Tax Fraud
Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 1:45 P.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
CLARKSBURG, W. VA.- On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, a Federal Jury for the Northern District of West Virginia found Nitesh Ratnaker, 48, of Wheeling, West Virginia, guilty of 41 counts of federal tax fraud.
According to U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, Ratnaker owned and operated a gastroenterology practice and a medical equipment manufacturer in Elkins, West Virginia. During the trial, jurors heard testimony that he withheld payroll taxes from his employees’ paychecks and failed to properly make payments to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $2,419,560. Ratnaker also filed false tax returns in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
When sentenced on a date to be determined by the court, Ratnaker faces up to five years in federal prison on each of the first 38 tax fraud counts and up to three years on the remaining tax fraud counts. The actual term of imprisonment will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge based on the seriousness of the offenses and Ratnaker’s prior criminal history, if any.
