Owner of Charlotte-Area Scrap Metal Business Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The owner of Charlotte-area scrap metal business pleaded guilty to tax evasion today, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Tony Marks, 47, of Matthews, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler and admitted to concealing from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) personal earnings derived from his business.
U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI).
According to the filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, from in or about 2011 to the present, Marks was self-employed as a scrap metal broker. From in or about tax year 2011 through in or about tax year 2014, Marks concealed from the IRS significant personal earnings from his scrap metal broker business. According to court records, during the relevant time period, Marks deposited checks and cash receipts from his business and its customers into his personal bank accounts at various banks. Marks’ deposits or cashed checks totaled approximately $313,372, and were not included in gross receipts reported to the IRS. During the relevant time period, Marks failed to disclose or provide to his tax return preparer records from all of the bank accounts, as well as other information about his income from his business.
According to the filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, for years 2011 through 2014, Marks earned additional personal income which the defendant failed to report on his U.S. Individual Income Tax Return Form 1040 filed with the IRS. As a result of the unreported taxable income and the unreported gross receipts, Marks had additional tax due.
Marks pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Marks was released on bond following today’s court appearance. A sentencing hearing for Marks has not been set yet.
The investigation was led by IRS-CI. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny G. Sugar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.