PHILADELPHIA, PA — Ammar Jali, a 56-year-old businessman from Bethlehem, PA, was sentenced on Monday to 12 months and one day in prison for filing false tax returns. United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson also ordered Jali to pay a $50,000 fine and $2.5 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He will serve one year of supervised release after his prison term.
Jali, the sole shareholder of 36 Domino’s Pizza restaurants across Pennsylvania and Ohio, pleaded guilty in January to underreporting his businesses’ gross receipts by $10 million from 2014 to 2016. This deception led his accountant to file false tax returns, causing a $2.5 million tax loss to the federal government.
“Owning your own business often requires taking some risks,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “But in underreporting his restaurants’ earnings by millions and millions of dollars, Mr. Jali went beyond risk-taking straight to law-breaking. In doing so, he was effectively thumbing his nose at both the IRS and all the honest filers who accurately report their income and pay what they owe.”
Romero emphasized that this case should signal the commitment of her office and the IRS to prosecute tax fraud: “This case should send the message that my office and IRS-CI won’t put up with tax cheats, and we will pursue and prosecute these crimes to ensure they’re held accountable.”
Denise Leuenberger, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, added, “Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes.” She underscored that their largest enforcement program targets those who intentionally violate tax laws.
The investigation was conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.