Dumar Al Roubaey, owner of Leo Auto in Hamilton, has been fined $15,000 for failing to remit Retail Sales Tax (RST) collected from customers.

The Ministry of Revenue's Special Investigations Branch charged Al Roubaey after discovering he failed to remit $49,134 in RST he collected between October 2004 and February 2007. He also had submitted 11 false returns.

Al Roubaey pleaded guilty to the charge of wilful evasion under the Retail Sales Tax Act on July 10, 2009 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Hamilton. He must also pay a $3,750 surcharge to the Victims' Justice Fund.

In addition to court-imposed fines and surcharges, businesses convicted of tax offences must repay any taxes owing plus civil negligence penalties and interest, if any.

Under the Ministry of Revenue's voluntary disclosure program, corporations and individuals may come forward and voluntarily report past violations of provincial tax laws and pay any amounts owing.