Waterbury Man Who Lied To Federal Agents Conducting Tax Fraud Investigation Is Sentenced

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN B. MAIA, 73, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to three months of home confinement and one year of probation for lying to federal agents conducting a tax fraud investigation.  MAIA was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and pay a $1,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2010, MAIA, a retired Waterbury Police detective and inspector with the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, submitted to a voluntary interview with special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation who were conducting an investigation into fraudulent conduct by Thomas Thorndike and the clients of Thorndike’s tax preparation business, Cornerstone Financial Services.  MAIA was a Cornerstone Financial Services client.  During the interview, agents asked MAIA if he had overstated deductions for charitable contributions and listed fictitious business expenses on his federal tax returns from 2005 through 2008.  MAIA falsely stated that the charitable contributions and business expenses were legitimate and that he had provided supporting documentation for the contributions and expenses to his tax preparer.

On March 22, 2013, MAIA pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to federal law enforcement.

Thorndike pleaded guilty to tax offenses in October 2012 and, on March 12, 2013, was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Mattei and Eric Glover.

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U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
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thomas.carson@usdoj.gov