Newark, NJ – A former non-profit director and political fundraiser was sentenced to 38 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion. Kiburi D. Tucker, 43, of Newark, was handed down the sentence by Chief U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court on May 25, 2023.
Tucker previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion. The charges stem from Tucker’s embezzlement of funds from The Centre Inc., a Newark-based childcare and community program, between 2012 and 2015. He used ATM, debit card, and bank withdrawal transactions to fund personal expenses, including gambling, travel, and furnishing his home, resulting in a loss of $332,116.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Linares sentenced Tucker to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $133,624 to the IRS and forfeit $334,116. Tucker’s sentence also includes a tax loss of $56,509 for the 2015 tax year, after he underreported income from his partnership in Elite Strategies, a political fundraising and consulting company.
The investigation into Tucker’s crimes was a collaborative effort between the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
Kiburi D. Tucker, 43, of Newark, New Jersey, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion. Charges include one count of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion. Tucker was ordered to pay restitution of $133,624 to the IRS and forfeit $334,116.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacques S. Pierre and Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Tucker’s defense counsel includes Timothy M. Donohue Esq., West Orange, New Jersey, and Alfred C. Decotis Esq., Teaneck, New Jersey.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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