Adrian man sentenced

Tax fraud nets 6 years, $13.2M in restitution

11/8/2013

DETROIT — An Adrian man who admitted to tax and health-care fraud was sentenced in federal court this week to six years in prison.

Jason Syrek, 40, also was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Paul D. Borman in Detroit to pay nearly $13.2 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and more than $4.5 million to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan.

Some of that restitution is expected to come from the sale of real estate, automobiles, and a boat purchased by Syrek with the stolen funds and forfeited as part of a plea agreement with the government.

According to federal prosecutors, Syrek would take large sums of money from clients intended for payroll taxes or insurance premiums and divert the money for his personal use. He committed the fraud between 2008 and 2011 as operator of CAS Resources in Adrian, a business that provided services such as payroll, taxes, and employee benefits administration.

“Syrek’s conduct was egregious in that he effectively stole funds that were withheld on behalf of employees,” Erick Martinez, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Detroit field office, said in a news release. “His actions cost the government $13.4 million in tax loss alone.”

In May, Syrek pleaded guilty to health-care fraud and filing a false tax return.

Among the property Syrek forfeited was his home in Adrian, two homes in Holmes Beach, Fla.; a 2008 Ferrari F430; a 2008 Porsche Boxster; a 32.5-foot Sea Ray; a 2010 Lincoln MKX, and $16,245 from the sale of a 2010 Ford Escape.

“This defendant stole funds intended for the benefit of employees and used it to pay for a life of luxury,” U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in a news release. “While his scheme may have used sophisticated methods, at its core, his crime was stealing other people’s money.”

His attorney, Eric Nemeth, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

— Jennifer Feehan