Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that 53-year-old Ilias Maredia and 51-year-old Latif Maredia, both of Stafford, Texas have pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio and have been sentenced to five years probation for stealing more than $1,000,000 in New York state tax money.

The defendants, who are brothers, kept $1,223,873.97 in sales tax collected through the operation of the 7 local gas stations they owned in Erie County between March 1, 2008 and May 31, 2012.

The two made restitution of $612, 000 to the state and are required to pay the remaining $612,000 over the next five years.

Acting DA Flaherty commends the Criminal Investigations Division of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance that investigated and referred the case for prosecution.

Assistant District Attorneys Gary M. Ertel and Holly P. Tucker of DA Flaherty’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau prosecuted the case.