August 26, 2004

PRESS RELEASE

WEYMOUTH RESIDENTS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD IRS
AND WITH FAILURE TO PAY EMPLOYMENT TAXES

Boston, MA... In an Indictment returned today in federal court, the husband and wife co-owners of a Weymouth business were charged with conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and with failure to account for and pay more than $150,000 in federal income, social security and medicare taxes that they allegedly withheld from the wages of their employees during the years 1997 to 2000.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Joseph A. Galasso, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, announced that ROBERT D'ANDREA, age 44, and DEBRA D'ANDREA, age 42, of 191 Circuit Avenue in Weymouth, Massachusetts were charged in a twelve-count Indictment with conspiracy to defraud the IRS and with failure to account for and pay withholding taxes.

According to the Indictment, the D'ANDREAs co-owned a Weymouth-based steel erection and rebar business named RAD Steel. It is alleged that the D'ANDREAs paid the employees of their business in cash and deducted from their employees' wages both state and federal income tax and social security and medicare tax.

The Indictment charges that during the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000, the D'ANDREAs withheld more than $150,000 in federal taxes from their employees' wages, yet failed to report or pay those taxes to the IRS.

If convicted, the D'ANDREAs each face up to 5 years' imprisonment on each count.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Pineault in Sullivan's Economic Crimes Unit.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139