Co-Owner Of Commercial Cleaning Service Admits Filing False Tax Returns

NEWARK, N.J. – The co-owner of a commercial cleaning company in Bergen County, New Jersey, today admitted evading more than $300,000 in tax payments by cashing checks at a commercial check cashier, paying employees off-the-books cash wages, and failing to report all his income, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Peter Jamgochian, 53, of Paramus, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to Count One of an information charging him with subscribing to false corporate tax returns.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Jamgochian was a co-owner of a commercial cleaning company in Hackensack, New Jersey. His duties included managing company payroll and interacting with the company’s accountant.

In 2013 and 2014, Jamgochian cashed over $2 million in check payments received from the company’s customers at a commercial check cashier. He then used the cash to pay off-the-books cash wages to his employees and kept a portion for himself. Jamgochian hid these cashed checks from the IRS by not disclosing this information to the company’s accountant. After the accountant prepared the corporate taxes, Jamgochian signed these false corporate returns under penalty of perjury, knowing that they were false.

Jamgochian caused the company to underpay $248,936 in Medicare and Social Security taxes. He also understated his personal income received from the company, causing an additional tax loss to the IRS of $76,201.

The charge of subscribing to a false tax return carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Dec. 16, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division.

Defense counsel: Frank Agostino Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey