Danbury Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

Vanessa R. Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that BILL G. MAKROS, 57, of Danbury, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to tax evasion.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Makros owned and operated a tree service business known as Budget Tree and Stump Removal Service, LLC.  From 2016 through 2020, Makros concealed his income by receiving customer payments in the form of checks made payable to “cash” or to him personally, and by depositing the checks into bank accounts other than his business bank account.  At times, he also cashed check payments and did not deposit the cash into any business or personal accounts.  For the 2016 through 2020 tax years, Makros failed to file his federal individual tax returns, and failed to pay $140,694 in taxes on approximately $517,000 in net profits.

In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Makros applied for pandemic relief loans and, as part of that process, submitted IRS Schedule C forms for his business that purported to be part of his tax returns for 2019 and 2020, even though he had not filed tax returns with the IRS for those years.

Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for September 27, 2024, at which time Makros faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  Makros is released on a personal recognizance bond pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King.