Jacob Goldman (Photo from the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office
The case is tied to pending charges against village Building Inspector Walter Booker.
“A 48-year-old businessman has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $30,000 from Ramapo through a tax-exemption scam tied to the ongoing prosecution of Spring Valley’s chief building inspector.
Jacob Goldman will repay $33,000 to Ramapo as part of his guilty plea to three misdemeanor counts of second-degree offering a false instrument for filing, Rockland County prosecutor Richard Kennison Moran said.
Goldman faces three years probation at his scheduled Feb. 28 sentencing by Rockland County Judge David Zuckerman.
The judge is also considering Building Inspector Walter Booker’s request to dismiss felony grand-larceny and other charges against him, said his attorney, William Gerard.
Booker is scheduled to appear before Zuckerman on Dec. 20, when Gerard said he hopes to get a decision on the request.
The charges against both men resulted from several certificates of occupancy issued by Booker, changing the status of Goldman’s house at 9 Zeissner Lane from a single-family to a two-family residence, and back.
Goldman, the principal for the 9 Zeissner Lane owner, Congregation Mosdos Zvhille Inc., has had one- and two-family designations at the house at various times in the past five years.
Moran, the prosecutor, has argued that Booker provided COs that designated the house as single-family so Goldman could qualify for a Ramapo tax exemption for a rabbinical office on the first floor of the house, which was also used as a synagogue.”
Read the complete Journal News story here.