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Mario Nunes, age 59, of Yonkers, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and filing false federal income tax returns on Tuesday, Jan. 11, according to Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
“As he admitted in court, the defendant engaged in a scheme to evade paying federal income taxes for years, including by concealing business income, making false statements to the IRS, and filing false federal income tax returns," Williams said in a statement. "Nunes has now pled guilty to federal crimes and faces time in federal prison, another example that attempting to conceal income and filing false returns are ultimately far costlier than filing accurate returns and paying one’s taxes due.”
Williams reported that Nunes was an independent contractor who performed construction work.
He filed false federal income tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2017, the US Attorney's Office said.
He also reportedly created a scheme to avoid paying his unpaid assessed federal income taxes and falsely told the IRS that he was unemployed and relying on others for living expenses, Williams said.
To conceal more than $1.5 million of his business income, Nunes deposited business receipts into personal bank accounts, and cashed checks from customers instead of depositing them, Williams said.
He also reportedly told customers to pay suppliers directly.
Nunes agreed to pay at least $330,833 in restitution to the IRS, the US Attorney's Office said.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, April 14, Williams reported.
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