PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 9 months’ imprisonment followed by 2 years of supervised release on his conviction for violating federal tax and social security fraud laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Robert Alan Seth, Sr., 58.

According to information presented to the court, Seth filed a false U.S. individual income tax return for the 2013 tax year by failing to report income from his general contracting business, RAS & Sons. As part of his guilty plea, Seth accepted responsibility for filing a false individual tax return for the 2012 tax year. Seth also accepted responsibility for failing to file personal income tax returns for 2008 through 2011 and 2013, as well as corporate income tax returns for 2008 through 2014 for RAS & Sons. As part of his sentence, Seth was ordered to pay restitution for back taxes of $173,390.00, plus interest, to the Internal Revenue Service.

Additionally, between January 2009 and July 2017, Seth fraudulently collected Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for himself and his minor child totaling $248,145.90, by failing to report his employment activity as the owner and operator of RAS & Sons general contracting business. As part of his sentence, Seth was ordered to pay restitution of $248,145.90 to the Social Security Administration.

"Robert Seth committed an elaborate double fraud on the government," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "By stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Social Security Administration and failing to report significant income from a variety of businesses, Seth was in effect stealing from the hard-working, honest taxpayers of western Pennsylvania. My office is committed to prosecuting criminals like Seth to the fullest extent of the law."

Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Seth.

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of filing false income tax return and theft of government property, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Robert Alan Seth, Sr., of 4 Danvers Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on April 15, 2014, Seth, Sr. filed a false income tax return for the tax year 2013. Additionally, from in and around January 2009, and continuing thereafter to in and around July 2017, Seth, Sr. collected Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for himself and for his minor child in an amount totaling $248,145.90.

Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for February 6, 2019. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of 13 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Social Security Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Robert Alan Seth, Sr.