FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2009
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA
CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617)748-3356
E-MAIL: USAMA.MEDIA@USDOJ.GOV
SIX CHARGED WITH TAX VIOLATIONS THIS MONTH
BOSTON, MA - Six individuals have been charged with various federal tax violations, including tax evasion and filing false returns, announced United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Susan Dukes, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation - Boston Field Office.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting any member of the public who seeks to illegally avoid their duties and responsibilities as taxpayers. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who illegally seek to avoid their duties as taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan.
“The prosecution of individuals who intentionally conceal income and evade taxes is a vital element in maintaining public confidence in our tax system,” commented Susan Dukes, IRS Special Agent in Charge. “These cases serve as examples that there are consequences for violating the law and those who cheat will be investigated by the IRS and brought to justice.”
The following individuals were charged this month:
On April 2, 2009, JOHN H. KELLEHER, 65, of Quincy, Massachusetts, was charged in a twenty six count Indictment with eight counts of procuring a false tax return, three counts of subscribing to a false tax return, and three counts of impeding the administration of the IRS Code. KELLEHER was also charged with twelve counts of mail fraud. The Indictment alleges that KELLEHER, a tax preparer and an attorney, stole state and federal tax refund checks from his clients. The Indictment further alleges that KELLEHER included false information on his clients’ tax returns for the purpose of increasing the amount of tax refund that he intended to steal, and that he generated tax refund checks to steal by filings tax returns without the taxpayers’ knowledge, including in the names of deceased individuals. The Indictment also alleges that KELLEHER asked clients to lie to IRS investigators in order to conceal his wrongdoing. The investigation was conducted by the IRS and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
On April 6, 2009, JOSEPH A. PINGARO, JR., 53, and his wife CHRISTINE A. SCOLA, 50, both of Middleton, Massachusetts, were charged in a sixty seven count Indictment alleging conspiracy to evade taxes, tax evasion, subscribing to false returns, conspiracy to structure financial transactions, and structuring. The Indictment alleges that PINGARO and SCOLA transferred millions of dollars from their business, J&J Metals located in Roxbury, Massachusetts, into their personal checking account, structured the withdrawals to evade cash transaction reporting requirements, and used the cash for their personal expenses, all without reporting any of this money as income. The investigation was conducted by the IRS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 9, 2009, PAUL T. WALSH, SR., 70, and his son JOSEPH G. WALSH, 47, both of Stoneham, Massachusetts, were charged in a twelve count Indictment with conspiracy to defraud the IRS and individual counts of subscribing to false tax returns. The Indictment alleges that the WALSHES diverted corporate receipts from their Medford plumbing business, Paul T. Walsh & Sons, Inc., be depositing over $1.0 million in business receipts into bank accounts that were concealed from the company’s bookkeepers and tax preparers. The Indictment also alleges that the WALSHES used the diverted receipts for their personal expenditures. The investigation was conducted by the IRS.
On April 9, 2009, DENNIS SENTNER, 55, of Revere, Massachusetts was charged with four counts of tax evasion and twenty counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. The Indictment alleges that SENTNER, a former Certified Public Accountant and tax preparer doing business as Financial Protection, Inc., evaded the payment of taxes from 2002 through 2005 and fraudulently prepared tax returns for clients by fabricating phony schedules and inflating itemized tax deductions. The Indictment further alleges that SENTNER generated over $940,000 in income that he failed to report to the IRS. The investigation was conducted by the IRS.
Also, two other individuals recently pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges:
On April 1, 2009, CHARLES J. MCCARTHY, 67, and his wife KATHERINE M. MCCARTHY, 56, both of Webster, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to a four count Information charging them with tax evasion for the years 2002 through 2005. At the plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that if the case proceeded to trial, the government would prove that the MCCARTHYS owe more than $280,000 in taxes because they substantially understated the gross receipts of CHARLES MCCARTHY’S business, F&F Heat and Air Conditioning, on their tax returns. The MCCARTHYS are scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2009. The case was investigated by the IRS.
Also, one individual was recently sentenced in a tax related case:
On April 8, 2009, RIMBA B. HANDOJO, 34, of Westford, Massachusetts was sentenced to a term of two years imprisonment on his conviction of conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion. HANDOJO stole computer equipment, valued at more than $250,000, from his employer and then sold the equipment and failed to report the resulting proceeds as income. In addition to his term of imprisonment, HANDOJO was ordered to pay the sums of $283,144.00 in restitution to his employer, $124,268.70 to the IRS, and $283,144.00 in forfeiture to the United States. HANDOJO, a citizen of Indonesia, will be subject to deportation upon his release from prison. The investigation was conducted by the IRS and the FBI.
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