Jersey Shore pizzeria owner admits $208K in tax evasion

The former fifty percent operator and operator of Mario’s Pizza in Ocean Metropolis pleaded responsible Tuesday to federal expenses he evaded additional than $208,000 in payroll, individual and company profits taxes, authorities stated.

Ernesto Cannuscio, 70, of Linwood, was concerned in the effectively-identified, popular pizzeria company from October 2013 to September 2018, in accordance to courtroom documents filed in the circumstance.

“Cannuscio unsuccessful to deposit important amounts of the dollars receipts into the Mario’s Pizza’s company lender account,” a spokesman for the IRS stated in a statement.

Cannuscio compensated workers money wages off the publications to avoid payroll taxes, in accordance to court docket paperwork filed in the situation.

“Cannuscio did not inform his accountant about the hard cash receipts, nor did he convey to the accountant about the hard cash payroll to Mario’s Pizza’s workers,” prosecutors alleged in court filings.

Failing to convey to the accountant about unreported profits triggered the accountant to underreport the gross receipts on the corporate tax returns “as nicely as the circulation-through earnings (that) need to have been claimed on Cannuscio’s particular tax return,” according to an IRS spokesman.

“In addition, Cannuscio evaded work taxes by not informing the accountant about the cash wages paid out to employees,” the spokesman claimed.

Cannuscio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court docket to conspiracy to evade income taxes. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 25.

“Business entrepreneurs have an obligation to thoroughly report all of the money gained whether paid in cash, test or credit rating card,” stated Tammy Tomlins, acting exclusive agent in demand of the IRS Legal Investigation Unit in Newark.

Tomlins explained Cannuscio defrauded the govt of about $208,448 in taxes. The conspiracy to evade taxes carries a optimum penalty of 5 yrs in jail and attainable great of $250,000.

Anthony G. Attrino may perhaps be achieved at [email protected]. Adhere to him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Discover NJ.com on Facebook.