John Paradise, San Clemente PAG used car guy to be arraigned for fraud.

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA -  John Joseph, Paradise, 53, San Clemente, a used car dealership president is scheduled to be arraigned today for filing fraudulent tax returns and failing to pay more than $1.3 million in sales taxes. 

According to the Orange Country District Attorney's office, Paradise, 53, is charged with six felony counts of making a false and fraudulent return over $25,000 tax liability with sentencing enhancement allegations for property damage over $1.3 million and aggravated white collar crime over $500,000.

 The OCDA will be requesting that Paradise be held on $1.3 million bail and prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned today.

Between Jan. 1, 2009, and Sept. 30, 2014, Paradise is accused of being the president and corporate officer of Paradise Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG), selling used luxury vehicles.
Paradise is accused of being the signatory of PAG and preparing the business's sales tax returns. Paradise is accused of submitting fraudulent sales tax returns to the State Board of Equalization (BOE).
The BOE investigated this case after a discrepancy in the sales figures and sales taxes collected by Paradise and reported to the California Department of Motor Vehicles was substantially higher than the sales taxes the defendant is accused of reporting and paying to the BOE.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.