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Former Golf Course Operator Sentenced to 13 Months for Tax Conspiracy, Lying to Feds
BOSTON – Kevin M. Kennedy, 45, of East Longmeadow, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for conspiring to defraud the United States and making a false statement. Kennedy, the former operator of two municipal golf courses in Western Massachusetts, was handed a 13-month prison term by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni, followed by three years of supervised release and restitution to be determined at a later date.
Kennedy was convicted by a federal jury on December 11, 2023, for conspiracy to defraud the United States and making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. He was acquitted of embezzlement from a local government receiving federal benefits, wire fraud, money laundering, and unlawful monetary transactions.
“Stealing from the taxpayers is far from a victimless crime. It diverts scarce resources that are needed to fund important services like education and elder care and public safety,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Every honest law-abiding citizen is a victim of this type of embezzlement from the city.”
Kennedy owned and operated Kennedy Golf Management Inc., through which he managed the City of Springfield’s two public golf courses, Franconia Golf Course and Veterans Memorial Golf Course. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kennedy skimmed money from the company without reporting that money to the IRS.
Just prior to trial, Kennedy pleaded guilty to four counts of filing a false individual income tax return for 2011 through 2014, during which he also admitted to filing a false return in 2009 and 2010. For each of those years, Kennedy did not report to his return preparer all of the cash and checks his management company received from his operation of the golf courses.
“Today’s sentencing of Kevin Kennedy demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Kennedy’s status as a professional golfer could not insulate him from the consequences of his actions to defraud the America taxpayers. Today’s sentencing demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigations commitment to investigating all financial crimes and ensuring equity in our tax system.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and IRS SAC Chavis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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