North Tonawanda businessman sentenced for tax evasion

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that George Ward, 57, of North Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of tax evasion, was sentenced to serve four years’ probation, of which the first six months will be home incarceration and the second six months will be home detention, by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Ward was also ordered to pay restitution to the IRS totaling $2,635,542.66 and to the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance totaling $646,770.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who handled the case, stated that between 2015 and 2020, Ward owned and operated a fire protection and inspection business in Amherst, NY. During this time period, Ward failed to file personal income tax returns, which included substantial business revenues received by his business. Ward also failed to pay income, social security, and Medicare taxes withheld from the pay of his employees. This resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of $953,793. Ward also failed to file his taxes with the New York Department of Taxation and Finance, resulting in a tax loss of $165,645. In addition to failing to file tax returns, Ward also made false statements to an IRS revenue officer regarding the filing of his taxes and the status of his business, used a check cashing business for over $2,000,000 in gross receipt checks from customers rather than depositing them into his business’ bank account, and deposited cash derived from his business’ activities into a bank account held in his wife’s name.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso.

# # # #