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Evan Bobzin, 39, of Chester, was sentenced to 24 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, after admitting to embezzling $1.9 million from Hoffman’s Gun Center in Newington, where he worked as head of information technology, according to the US Attorney for Connecticut.
Prosecutors said Bobzin used his insider access to methodically steal cash receipts from the store's safe between 2016 and 2023. Arriving at work before others, Bobzin would disconnect the company’s security cameras, pocket thousands of dollars in cash, and reconnect the system to cover his tracks, prosecutors said.
Bobzin deposited the stolen funds into his accounts through nearly 300 separate transactions and made large purchases using cashier’s checks, authorities said.
The scheme unraveled after Bobzin’s suspicious banking patterns drew investigators' attention. In October 2022, the US Attorney's Office alerted Bobzin that his cash transactions, which were consistently below the $10,000 reporting threshold, appeared structured to avoid detection. Instead of stopping, he opened new bank accounts and continued the practice.
In addition to embezzlement, Bobzin failed to report stolen income on his taxes for seven years, depriving the IRS of $436,178. In 2020 alone, he falsely claimed just $9,914 in taxable income while concealing approximately $432,615 in illicit gains, federal officials said.
Bobzin pleaded guilty in August to interstate transmission of stolen money and tax evasion. As part of his sentence, he must repay $2,062,580 to Hoffman’s and pay the IRS outstanding back taxes, including penalties and interest, officials said.
Bobzin remains free on a $50,000 bond and must report to prison on January 6.
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