East Bay man pleads guilty to tax evasion scheme

An East Bay man pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of tax evasion after underreporting his income for his three businesses, which included a tattoo and piercing parlor, according to the Department of Justice.

Salman Salman, a 47-year-old man from Rodeo, owned and operated three businesses: The Plug Tattoo and Piercing, S&S Real Estate Investment Group and Synergy Investment Group Ohio. He admitted that he understated his and his wife’s income and claimed false and overstated expenses to reduce his tax burden, according to prosecutors.

Salman failed to report over $3.4 million of his income between 2016 and 2019. On Dec. 11, he was charged with four counts of tax evasion, but pleaded guilty to one count for evading taxes in 2019, prosecutors stated.

Salman’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8. He faces a maximum prison sentence of five years, a maximum fine of $250,000 and restitution of at least $438,000 to the IRS.