News

Apr 28, 2023

New Jersey Man Found Guilty of Tax Evasion

A federal jury convicted a New Jersey man today of tax evasion and failing to

A federal jury convicted a New Jersey man today of tax evasion and failing to file personal income tax returns.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jonathan D. Michael of Springfield, New Jersey, worked as a mechanic in the crane shop at the Port Newark Container Terminal. For the years 2014 through 2018, Michael provided his employer with an Employee's Withholding Certificate (Form W-4) that falsely claimed he was exempt from any federal income tax withholding. During the same five-year period, Michael did not file personal income tax returns even though he earned approximately $1.5 million in wages, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of over $375,000.

Michael is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23, 2023, and faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion and one year in prison for each count of willful failure to file a tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Michael C. Vasiliadis of the Justice Department's Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Feldman Nikic of the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.