A Wheeling, West Virginia physician was sentenced on Mar. 17 for committing tax fraud totaling nearly $2.5 million and attempting to obstruct a federal investigation, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
The case highlights the consequences of tax fraud and efforts to impede justice in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Nitesh Ratnakar, age 50, received a sentence of 41 months in prison after being convicted on 41 counts of tax fraud and one count of obstructing a federal grand jury investigation. Ratnakar owned and operated both a gastroenterology practice and a medical equipment manufacturer in Elkins, West Virginia. He withheld payroll taxes from his employees’ paychecks but failed to make $2,419,560 in required payments to the Internal Revenue Service. Additionally, he filed false tax returns for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. During the investigation into these crimes, Ratnakar caused false documents to be provided in response to a federal grand jury subpoena.
“Dr. Ratnakar cheated the system by avoiding tax payments and then tried to cover it up,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey. “Tax fraud is stealing from all honest citizens and will not be tolerated in this district. Those who work to mislead investigators will be held accountable.”
Ratnakar will also serve one year of supervised release following his prison term. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod Douglas and Eleanor Hurney on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation into Ratnakar’s actions, with Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presiding over the proceedings.
