Beverly Hills Landlord Who Evaded $1.5M In Taxes Gets Prison Time: Authorities

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — A California man was sentenced Tuesday to 15 months in prison for evading nearly $1.5 million in state and federal income taxes in connection with his clothing business and properties in Beverly Hills and Tarzana, according to authorities.

Haim Jerry Kohen was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release, and pay a $95,000 fine and $1.47 million in restitution, authorities said.

Kohen owned a business that bought and sold used clothing in bulk and, between 2005 and 2017, he filed false individual and corporate income tax returns, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

He tried to hide income by diverting it from his business to himself and dealing in cash, authorities said, collecting cash from a customer, keeping the money for himself instead of depositing it into his business account, and not reporting it on corporate or individual tax returns. He also loaned money and did not report the interest on his personal returns, according to the department.

Kohen did not report rental income from two properties he owned in Beverly Hills and Tarzana, authorities said, adding he deeded the Beverly Hills property to close family but continued to collect rental income and exercise control over it.