Physician Niren Sentenced for Filing False Tax Returns

PITTSBURGH – The grimy details of a white-collar crime story have come to light as Dr. Neil M. Niren, a respected physician in the Pittsburgh area, was sentenced today to face the music for his fiscal misdeeds. United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced that Niren has been given five years’ probation, nine months of community confinement at Renewal, Inc., and an additional nine months under home detention.

The sentence, imposed by United States District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab, comes as a result of Niren’s conviction for filing a false tax return. The physician, who operated his practice as a sole proprietorship, has been fined $40,000 and ordered to pay restitution in the significant amount of $451,001.

According to court documents, Niren was no stranger to deception. He deliberately filed fraudulent income tax returns for 2005 through 2008, maintaining two sets of accounting books. His deceitful practices included hiding payments from patients, falsely categorizing personal expenses as business costs, and even using his medical practice’s funds to finance a lavish Bahamas vacation at the Atlantis Resort.

The court documents painted a picture of Niren’s double life, where he claimed thousands in personal expenditures such as furniture for his apartment, custom jewelry, art from Israel, cosmetic surgery, gym memberships, and rental property improvements. All under the guise of legitimate business expenses.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton and Department of Justice Tax Division Trial Attorney Jed Silversmith, who worked tirelessly on behalf of the government to bring justice to Niren’s victims.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation for their role in this successful prosecution, underscoring the commitment to hold those accountable who misuse the financial system for personal gain.