Man Pleads Guilty in Tax Evasion Case

A Granada Hills man pleaded guilty Tuesday to evading more than $300,000 in taxes by creating several sham gas stations he claimed were owned by various family members, including his 13-year-old stepson, a federal prosecutor said.

Larry Meyer, 58, admitted in U. S. District Court in Los Angeles that on six occasions in 1987, he avoided paying federal diesel fuel excise taxes by registering the gas stations he owned in the names of his wife, his two sons, one of his daughters-in-law and his 13-year-old stepson, said Assistant U. S. Atty. Jeffrey Eglash.

“What makes this case interesting is that Meyer was willing to place members of his family at risk of being prosecuted so he wouldn’t have to pay the taxes,” Eglash said.

Meyer’s sons and daughter-in-law have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the case, Eglash said.

No charges have been filed against the other family members.

Meyer avoided paying the taxes by filing documents claiming that three Los Angeles-area service stations--Baloy Garcia Texaco, Karin’s Korner and Lovely Lady Oil--were owned by various family members, when in fact he was sole owner, Eglash said.

When the violations took place in 1987, station owners were required to pay a 15-cent-per-gallon excise tax on diesel fuel sales. The tax is now charged to the wholesaler.

Meyer faces 30 years and a fine of $1.5 million, plus a requirement to pay his back taxes. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 8.

Last month, Meyer’s sons, Michael Goldberg, 36, of Canoga Park, and Steven Howard Goldberg, 34, of La Habra, pleaded guilty to charges of not filing tax returns.

In July, Pamela Anderson, 30, of Riverside, who is Steven Goldberg’s former wife, also pleaded guilty to charges of not filing income taxes.