Pennsylvania accountant pleads guilty to alien harboring conspiracy, violating federal tax laws

PITTSBURGH — A Pennsylvania accountant pleaded guilty Feb. 4 to conspiracy and violating federal tax laws. If convicted he faces up to 23 years in federal prison. The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Martin R. Bujaky, 63, of Gibsonia, Pa., pleaded guilty to the charges.

Between 2000 and 2007, Bujaky conspired with others to harbor illegal aliens employed in the hotel housekeeping industry near Pittsburgh, as well as Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, by knowingly preparing false tax returns on behalf of their employers.

The returns failed to report their wages as income. Bujaky assisted in the preparation and presentation of false quarterly tax returns for portions of 2005 and 2006 for B&M Best Consulting Co. by understating the size of the payroll and the employment taxes due to the IRS.

The false returns accounted for approximately $3 million in unreported wages and a tax loss over seven years of approximately $3.7 million.

Bujaky is scheduled to be sentenced May 17, 2013.