Date: March 28, 2024 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was charged with tax evasion and failure to file tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today. John Constantino, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, is charged in an 18-count indictment with six counts of tax evasion and 12 counts of failure to file tax returns. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Constantino owned and operated a fireproofing and painting business since at least 1989. Despite both the company and Constantino earning income between 2017 and 2022, Constantino failed to report the company’s income on corporate tax returns and also failed to report his own income on personal tax returns, resulting $682,735 in taxes due and owing to the United States, which Constantino never paid. Instead of paying those taxes, Constantino took affirmative steps to conceal both his and the company’s income and assets including, cashing approximately $13 million worth of checks payable to the company at a check cashing facility and structuring cash deposits into both his and the company’s bank accounts to avoid triggering Currency Transaction Reports, which are reported to the U.S. Department of Treasury. The tax evasion counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years and a fine of $100,000. Each count of failure to file tax returns carries a maximum potential penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000 each. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U. S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
