Former Sela owner faces prison, fine

Amit Sela will serve 42 months for conspiracy and tax crimes. A tearful Amit Sela was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison on Thursday for conspiracy and tax evasion.

By JAMES WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: October 1, 2009 - 11:48 PM

Bluntly calling Amit Y. Sela a thief, U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum on Thursday sentenced the co-owner of Sela Roofing and Remodeling to 42 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $200,000 for conspiracy, tax evasion and filing false tax returns.

In a tearful plea to the judge, during which he dabbed at his eyes with a tissue, the 52-year-old Minnetonka man asked for a sentence that would take the harm done to his family, his business and his reputation into account. Sela's attorney also pointed out that his client repaid the money long ago.

Rosenbaum was not swayed.

"Sir, the reality is that you are a wealthy man who, for reasons known only to you, decided to become a thief," the judge said. Sela must serve prison time, he said. "This is the kind of case that must be prosecuted, because a wealthy person enjoys enormous benefits."

Rosenbaum ordered Sela to report to begin serving his sentence on Dec. 1.

Neither Sela nor his attorney, Christopher Madel, would comment about the sentence afterward. Sela has 10 days to file an appeal. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Cheever said sentencing guidelines called for up to 10 years but that prosecutors were seeking five. He said he could not comment on the case.

On June 17, a federal jury convicted Sela on one count of conspiracy, one count of tax evasion and two counts of filing false tax returns and acquitted him of five other counts. A second defendant, Abdulla S. Noaman Jr. was also acquitted on one count of conspiracy.

Both men were indicted on Aug. 5, 2008. According to their indictment and court testimony, from September 2001 through September 2004, Sela ran a scheme to avoid paying income taxes by using Sela Roofing to pay for many of his personal expenses. He then had Sela Roofing subcontractors file invoices indicating they had performed work for the company. In some cases, Sela himself altered invoices.

The U.S. attorney's office alleged that Sela embezzled more than $600,000 from Sela Roofing, and evaded state and local income taxes on that stolen income. The indictment said that Amit Sela siphoned some of the money for credit card bills, boat storage, swimming pool payments, interior decorating, jewelry and other personal expenses.

The company's customers were not affected by the embezzlement, officials said. An attorney for Sela Roofing said at the time the indictment was unsealed that Amit Sela has not been involved in company operations since 2005.

James Walsh • 612-673-7428