Virginia Businessman Pleads Guilty to $5 Million Employment Tax Fraud and Illegal Firearm Possession

A Dulles, Virginia, equipment rental business owner pleaded guilty today to employment tax fraud and illegally possessing a firearm, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.

According to court documents, from 2013 through 2018, Lawrence Robert Gazdick Jr. operated his business under multiple names, including National Technology Rentals, NTL Technology Leasing Services, and AV Rental Solutions. During this time, Gazdick withheld payroll taxes from his employees’ paychecks, but did not file payroll tax returns and did not pay the withheld funds to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In total, Gazdick caused a loss to the IRS of approximately $5.35 million. Additionally, Gazdick admitted to possessing a firearm recovered from his business office, despite the fact he was previously convicted of a felony.

United States District Court Judge Anthony J. Trenga scheduled Gazdick’s sentencing for Oct. 18, 2019. At sentencing, Gazdick faces a maximum of five years in prison for failing to pay over payroll taxes and a maximum of ten years in prison for the firearm offense. He also faces monetary penalties and a term of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, Gazdick has agreed to pay the IRS full restitution.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Terwilliger thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Jamar K. Walker and Tax Division Trial Attorney Kimberly M. Shartar, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.