Agim Zendeli, Tax Evasion, Missouri 2023

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former owner of Ziggies restaurants pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to pay over $1.3 million in federal payroll taxes.

Agim Zendeli, 43, of Springfield, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to an information that charges him with failure to pay over to the IRS the payroll taxes he collected from his employees.

Zendeli operated a chain of restaurants under the name “Ziggies” in multiple locations in Missouri and Kansas from 1998 to 2014.

From March 2004 through December 2014, Zendeli opened and closed 18 companies he formed to operate as Ziggies. For each such company, Zendeli withheld federal income taxes and Social Security and Medicare taxes from his employees’ pay, and the employees believed those amounts had been paid over the IRS on their behalf. However, Zendeli admitted that he did not pay those amounts over to the IRS as he was required to do.

Zendeli diverted substantial amounts of money from the restaurant LLCs he owned and operated. During this period, he lived a lavish lifestyle, and spent substantial sums on vacations, gambling trips, entertainment, and luxury vehicles, including three BMWs, two Cadillac Escalades, two Infiniti QX56s, a 2009 Mercedes, a 2008 Acura, and a 2004 Land Rover.

The total tax loss resulting from the scheme for all entities controlled by Zendeli totals $1,330,708, which includes $741,099 in payroll taxes he deducted from his employees’ pay, plus the required employer’s contributions to Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Zendeli must pay the government $1,330,708 in restitution, as well as statutory interest.

Zendeli faces up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

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