West Virginia Physician Sentenced for Major Tax Fraud and Obstruction

A physician based in Wheeling, West Virginia, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for orchestrating a tax fraud scheme that deprived the government of nearly $2.5 million. Nitesh Ratnakar, age 50, was also convicted of obstructing a federal grand jury investigation into his financial activities. This sentencing underscores the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for tax evasion and interference with legal proceedings.

The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia, involved Ratnakar’s gastroenterology practice and a medical equipment manufacturing company he owned and operated in Elkins, West Virginia. Court documents revealed that Ratnakar withheld required payroll taxes from his employees’ wages but failed to remit the substantial sum of $2,419,560 to the Internal Revenue Service. Furthermore, Ratnakar was found to have filed false tax returns for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. The investigation into these financial improprieties revealed an additional layer of deceit: Ratnakar actively worked to impede the federal grand jury’s inquiry by submitting false documents in response to a subpoena.

Following his prison sentence, Ratnakar will be subject to one year of supervised release. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division conducted the investigation into this matter, with Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh overseeing the proceedings. This case serves as a stark reminder that tax fraud and attempts to obstruct justice carry significant legal consequences.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia

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