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Fairfield County Grocery Store Owner Sentenced In $50K Embezzled Income Tax Case

A grocer operating a store in Fairfield County has been sentenced to time behind bars and a $100,000 fine after pleading guilty to failing to pay more than $50,000 in taxes over several years.

Abu-Goush Market, doing business as International Farmers Market in Bridgeport.

Abu-Goush Market, doing business as International Farmers Market in Bridgeport.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Oxford resident Samir Fattah, 55, has been sentenced to three months in prison, followed by three months of home confinement and a year of supervised release after pleaded guilty in federal court to filing a false tax return, John Durham, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced this week. He has been released on bond, pending sentencing.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Fattah and his father jointly owned Abu-Goush Market, doing business as International Farmers Market in Bridgeport.

Durham said that Fattah was responsible for the store’s day-to-day operations, including making cash deposits into the business’ bank accounts.

During 2011, 2012 and 2014, without his father’s knowledge and approval, Fattah pleaded guilty to depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of the grocery store’s net cash receipts into his personal bank accounts.

Fattah used some of the funds to pay the business’ expenses, but embezzled a total of $213,086 through the scheme. During that time, the money he embezzled resulted in a total tax loss of $54,067. 

Fattah, who was released on bond, is due to report to prison on Nov. 15. He has also been ordered to repay the United States Treasury the $54,067 in restitution for the taxes he failed to pay, including penalties.

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