NJ business owner admits failure to collect and pay over taxes

An Ocean County business owner has admitted failing to collect and pay over employee taxes to the tune of over $937,000.

Authorities say on Thursday, 44-year-old Gerard Artz of Brick pleaded guilty in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of failure to collect and pay over taxes.

According to federal officials, Artz owned and operated Prime Installations, Inc., which installed furniture, partitions, and glass walls in office buildings.

Beginning around 2016, Artz’s company, under his direction, withheld employment taxes from the company’s employees’ paychecks and did not remit those employment taxes to the IRS.

From 2016 to 2020, Artz and his company failed to collect and pay over $937,943 in employment taxes owed by his company.

Artz now faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; sentencing is scheduled for February 5th.

As part of a plea agreement, Artz has agreed to pay the government restitution of $937,943.

U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation for their work in this case. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the Criminal Division in Trenton.