Jersey City, NJ
Breaking News
'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More
'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A once-prominent New Jersey lawyer must spend the next 4½ years in federal prison for swindling a family he represented out of $2 million -- and then, while on pre-trial release, impersonating another attorney in applying for a loan. The family had retained James R. Lisa, 68, of Jersey City, to gather millions that had been moved into offshore bank accounts by relatives decades ago and to resolve any tax issues that arose as a result, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Soon after being retained, Lisa moved more than $6 million back into the United States but told the famil…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Breaking News
Former Moody's Lawyer From NJ Admits Failing To Pay Taxes Former Moody's Lawyer From NJ Admits Failing To Pay Taxes Former Moody's Lawyer From NJ Admits Failing To Pay Taxes
Former Moody's Lawyer From NJ Admits Failing To Pay Taxes A Morris County man who served as a longtime general counsel to Moody's has pleaded guilty to willfully failing to file federal income tax returns for four years, federal authorities said. John Goggins, 63, of Chatham, grossed $54 million "from wages, restricted stock awards, the exercise of annual nonqualified stock options, interest, dividends, and gains from stock sales" from 2018 through 2021, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. "Goggins failed to file federal income tax returns for those years," Sellinger said. Goggins had been a senior vice-president and general co…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Middletown, NJ
Breaking News
Jersey Shore Mayor's Son Who Bought $7.6M Worth Of Real Estate Ducked $2M In Taxes, Feds Charge Jersey Shore Mayor's Son Who Bought $7.6M Worth Of Real Estate Ducked $2M In Taxes, Feds Charge Jersey Shore Mayor's Son Who Bought $7.6M Worth Of Real Estate Ducked $2M In Taxes, Feds Charge
Jersey Shore Mayor's Son Who Bought $7.6M Worth Of Real Estate Ducked $2M In Taxes, Feds Charge A Jersey Shore mayor's son who owed the IRS $2 million never paid it -- and instead bought $7.6 million worth of real estate, federal authorities said following his arrest. Matthew Tucci, 51, of West Long Branch, collected $11.4 million in tax refunds from the country of Denmark for pension plans that he'd established there for friends, acquaintances, and relatives, an indictment returned by a grand jury in Trenton says. Rather than put the money into respective bank accounts that he'd created for the pension plans, Tucci "deposited the funds in five accounts held by five nominee compa…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Teaneck, NJ
Breaking News
Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment
Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment A Teaneck tax preparer illegally collected $1.43 million for himself and $40 million for clients from the IRS by purposefully exploiting COVID-related credits that neither he nor they were entitled to, a federal indictment alleges. Leon Haynes, 50, was originally arrested on a criminal complaint last July. The investigation leading to the charges continued before a grand jury in Newark. The result: a 55-count indictment for tax evasion, preparing false returns, aggravated ID theft and mail fraud, authorities said. Haynes fraudulently sought more than $150 million from the IRS by claim…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Ridgewood, NJ
Breaking News
Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds
Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds A Bergen County contractor avoided taxes on $3.275 million in income over six years through a scheme that the IRS sniffed out, federal authorities said. John Constantino, 67, of Ridgewood, ended up stiffing the government out of $682,735 in corporate and personal income taxes, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip Sellinger said. As sole owner and president, Constantino took steps to conceal both his personal income and assets and those of his fireproofing and painting business between 2017 and 2022, the U.S. attorney said. For starters, Constantino used a false address on his driver’s licen…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Ridgewood, NJ
Breaking News
Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds
Ridgewood Contractor Who Ducked Taxes On $3.27 Million Charged In 18-Count Indictment: Feds A Bergen County contractor avoided taxes on $3.275 million in income over six years through a scheme that the IRS sniffed out, federal authorities said. John Constantino, 67, of Ridgewood, ended up stiffing the government out of $682,735 in corporate and personal income taxes, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip Sellinger said. As sole owner and president, Constantino took steps to conceal both his personal income and assets and those of his fireproofing and painting business between 2017 and 2022, the U.S. attorney said. For starters, Constantino used a false address on his driver’s licen…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Cherry Hill, NJ
Breaking News
CYBERFOOTSIES: Ex-NJ Couple, Money Washer Confess $4.5M Online Romance Scam CYBERFOOTSIES: Ex-NJ Couple, Money Washer Confess $4.5M Online Romance Scam CYBERFOOTSIES: Ex-NJ Couple, Money Washer Confess $4.5M Online Romance Scam
Cyberfootsies: Ex-NJ Couple, Money Washer Confess $4.5M Online Romance Scam UPDATE: A former New Jersey couple and a local businesswoman have admitted scamming more than 100 lonely hearts out of $4.5 million in an elaborate online romance scheme, federal authorities charged. Martins Inalegwu, 35, took a deal from the government, pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in Camden on Monday, March 25 to conducting an unlawful money-transmitting business and evading taxes for four straight years. Inalegwu's wife, Steincy Mathieu, 27, had already pleaded guilty to tax evasion last November.  Oluwaseyi Fatolu, 56, of Springfield, followed her by admitting this past …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Jersey City, NJ
Breaking News
Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More
Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A Hoboken woman was sentenced to five years in federal prison for posing as an accountant to steal more than $1.5 million from nonprofits, private schools and religious institutions, among other victims across the state. Yezenia Castillo, 47, will have to serve at least 85% of her sentence -- a few months over four years -- because there's no parole in the federal prison system. From 2012 through 2021, Castillo "falsely claimed to be a CPA who could provide various financial and accounting services to non-profit organizations throughout New Jersey, including private schools and reli…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Norwich, CT
Breaking News
CT Dentist Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $240K To IRS CT Dentist Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $240K To IRS CT Dentist Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $240K To IRS
CT Dentist Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $240K To IRS A 66-year-old dentist from Connecticut will spend time in prison for failing to file federal income tax returns for several years, officials announced. New London County resident Boulos Hanna of East Lyme, also known as "Paul Hanna," was sentenced on Wednesday, March 6 to ten months in prison for tax evasion, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  According to federal officials, Hanna owns New London-based dental practice Paul Hanna DMD PC and accepts fees from patients in personal checks, cash, and credit card payments. He also owns the building…

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by Ben Crnic
Arlington, VA
Breaking News
Former DC Non-Profit Leader Gets Prison Time For $150K Affordable Housing Embezzlement Scheme Former DC Non-Profit Leader Gets Prison Time For $150K Affordable Housing Embezzlement Scheme Former DC Non-Profit Leader Gets Prison Time For $150K Affordable Housing Embezzlement Scheme
Former DC Non-Profit Leader Gets Prison Time For $150K Affordable Housing Embezzlement Scheme A minister who was the former head of a non-profit organization in Southeast DC is heading to prison taking from the poor and giving to her self while embezzling more than $150,000 from its coffers, federal authorities announced. Rowena Joyce Scott, 71, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison for a scheme to steal money from a corporation she was entrusted to run which was created to aid some of the District's economically-challenged residents. According to prosecutors, Scott – a minister and the former head of the Ward 8 Democrats – was convicted following a June 2023 jury…

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by Zak Failla
New Haven, CT
Breaking News
Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement
Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement A 53-year-old former office manager from Connecticut will spend years in prison for embezzling nearly $956,000 from the family-owned construction business she worked for, officials announced. New Haven County resident Erin Sullivan of Cheshire, age 53, was sentenced on Wednesday, Feb. 21 to 24 months in prison for her embezzlement scheme and tax fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced. According to federal officials, Sullivan was employed as the office manager for the Orange-based construction business she worked for. Beginning at least as early as 2016, Su…

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by Ben Crnic
Lower Merion-Narberth, PA
On Your Side
South Philly Cheesesteak Proprietors Get Prison Time For Tax Scheme, Feds Say South Philly Cheesesteak Proprietors Get Prison Time For Tax Scheme, Feds Say South Philly Cheesesteak Proprietors Get Prison Time For Tax Scheme, Feds Say
South Philly Cheesesteak Proprietors Get Prison Time For Tax Scheme, Feds Say A father-son pair of cheesesteak shop owners were sentenced to prison last week for hiding $8 million in revenue from tax collectors, say federal prosecutors.  Nicholas Lucidonio, 57, and Anthony Lucidonio Sr., 84, the proprietors of Tony Luke's in South Philadelphia, will each spend 20 months behind bars, said the Justice Department in a release.  The Lucidonios, of New Jersey, carried out a "decade-long conspiracy to defraud the IRS" from 2006 to 2016, prosecutors said. The pair only deposited a portion of their earnings into the business's bank accounts and gave "inco…

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by Mac Bullock