Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr., Defrauding Manufacturer, Maryland 2023

Baltimore, Maryland - In a shocking turn of events, Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr., age 78, of Park Ridge, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return, in a brazen kickback scheme that defrauded a Harford County, Maryland manufacturer out of over $20 million.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, Urcioli is the owner and president of Tunnel, Barrel & Drum Co, Inc. (TBD), a wholesale commercial drum container seller. In 2012, Urcioli approached two employees of a New York company that formulates and produces oils and extracts used in the food industry to purchase TBD's drums for manufacturing in Harford County, Maryland.

As stated in his plea agreement, Urcioli and Employee 1 agreed to falsify invoices and split the extra funds paid to TBD from Company 1 for fabricated deliveries. Between January 2012 and January 31, 2020, Urcioli falsely invoiced Company 1 a total of $20,300,757. TBD and Hartford kept half that amount while the remaining funds were sent to Employee 1 and Employee 2.

Urcioli used his companies and their bank accounts to conceal the scheme and launder the proceeds. As a result of the scheme to defraud, Urcioli obtained approximately $10,150,378 from checks made out to TBD and Hartford. Further, over the course of the eight-year scheme to defraud Company 1, Urcioli filed yearly corporate tax returns for TBD and Hartford that falsely stated the cost of goods sold each year.

Urcioli faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and a maximum of three years in prison followed by one year of supervised release for filing a false tax return. U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby has not yet scheduled sentencing.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS for their tireless efforts in investigating this complex and brazen scheme. 'We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to cheat the system and line their own pockets with ill-gotten gains,' Barron said.

Defendant: Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr.

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

City and State: Baltimore, Maryland.

Exact Date: January 2012 to January 31, 2020 (scheme start and end dates).

Sentence or Outcome: Currently awaiting sentencing.

Dollar Amounts: $20,300,757 (total amount falsely invoiced), $10,150,378 (amount obtained from checks made out to TBD and Hartford), $9.05 million (underreported income), and $2,539,633 (tax loss to the federal government).

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/owner-steel-drum-company-admits-defrauding-over-20-million-harford-county-maryland