Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of tax evasion and failing to file tax returns.

Leonard Ngunjiri a/k/a Leonard Gitonga, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and five counts of failure to file a tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2020. Ngunjiri was charged by indictment in September 2019.

Ngunjiri attempted to evade paying taxes for tax years 2006-2008 and 2011 by concealing his assets, directing his paychecks into bank accounts held in the names of others and using accounts in other individuals’ names for business and personal expenses. In addition, Ngunjiri did not file federal income tax returns from 2013 through 2017 despite making income in excess of the minimum filing requirements.

The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. The charge of failure to file tax returns provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $25,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.