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Many of the State's Top Tax Debtors are from L.A.

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Photo by ~db~ via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr


Photo by ~db~ via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
The list of California’s largest unpaid sales and use tax delinquencies was updated today with the addition of 22 names, which consisted of people mostly from Southern California. Altogether, the newly listed debtors owe a total of $27 million. Since 2007, the state's Board of Equalization has been mandated by state law to post online a list of the largest 250 tax delinquencies--in total, they owe a combined amount of $302 million--of more than $100,000 in tax. Debtors are first warned that they will be listed 30 days before the information is posted and those with tax liabilities under appeal, litigation, or bankruptcy proceedings are not included.

Among the 22 added today, the top debtor is from Los Angeles, owing over $5.5 million. Owner Ricardo Ernesto Soriano of Century Auto Sales was not immediately available for comment as phone numbers listed on the internet for his business were disconnected. Soriano is also not listed on the list of city's top debtors (.pdf).

Of the top 250 debtors, most in the top ten, including Soriano, are also from Los Angeles. De Won Motors on Olympic Boulevard owes over $8 million. Listed at number two with the same exact amount is John Kwon of South Pasadena, but state officials are not allowed to confirm if he's related to the business due to privacy laws. At number three is former Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce Patrick McNall, who owes $7.5 million. People in North Hollywood, Woodland Hills and Chatsworth also each owe amounts over $4 million.

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You can view the whole list BOE's website.

Previously: Parking Operators Owe the City Nearly $100 Million

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