NEWARK, N.J. – A once-respected Essex County attorney is facing the music after admitting to a decade-long scheme to dodge his tax obligations. Richard Roberts, 79, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to failing to pay both personal and employment payroll taxes, a betrayal of public trust and a slap in the face to honest taxpayers.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Roberts operated a legal practice in Newark and, as the sole owner, was responsible for withholding and remitting federal income and insurance taxes from his employees. For a staggering twelve quarters, spanning the tax years 2009 through 2011, Roberts stiffed the IRS, failing to make any payroll tax payments. He either neglected to file the required quarterly Forms 941 – the reports detailing wages paid to employees – or simply didn’t pay the taxes listed on those forms.
The rot ran deeper than just payroll. Roberts hasn’t filed a personal income tax return since 2000, and while he belatedly submitted returns for 2007 through 2010 in 2012, listing a tax due of $20,361 for 2010 alone, he never bothered to actually pay it. Years of ignoring his financial obligations have finally caught up with him.
This isn’t some minor oversight. The government is building a case that shows a clear pattern of deliberate evasion. Roberts now faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, twice his gross profits, or twice the gross loss caused to the victim, for the failure to pay payroll taxes. The failure to pay income taxes carries a potential one-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $100,000, again, potentially doubled based on profits or losses.
Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick credited the investigation to special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, led by Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, and the dedicated investigators within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This case sends a clear message: no one, regardless of profession, is above the law when it comes to paying their fair share.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. Roberts was represented by Lisa Mack Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark. Sentencing is scheduled for August 1, 2017, leaving Roberts with ample time to contemplate his choices and prepare for the consequences. The Grimy Times will be there to report the final outcome.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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