'American Chopper' star sued by upstate NY town

[September 23, 2011]  NEWBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- Reality TV star Paul Teutul (TUHT'-ihl) Sr. and his business Orange County Choppers are being sued over a tax dispute with the upstate New York town where they're headquartered.

The Town of Newburgh is seeking about $18,000 of an unpaid "payment in lieu of taxes" on Orange County Choppers' $12.5 million headquarters. The town accuses the star of "American Chopper" of a "long-standing pattern and practice of defrauding creditors."

A lawyer for Teutel tells the Times Herald-Record of Middletown (http://bit.ly/qM23Xg) that the accusation is baseless. He says they intend to pay the town.

Orange County Choppers Realty received a tax break on the building to pay a set annual sum for public services. The suit says the corporation failed to pay the fee due Jan. 1.

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Information from: The Times Herald-Record, http://www.th-record.com/

[Associated Press]

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