May 14, 2015

Bossier City Woman Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Filing False Tax Returns

SHREVEPORT, LA—United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Bossier City woman was sentenced Monday to 20 months in prison for filing false tax returns.

Susan Santoro, 40, of Bossier City, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of making or subscribing a false tax return. She was also sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $308,213 to Top Dollar Pawn in Bossier City, $88,347 to the Internal Revenue Service and $44,554.63 to the Louisiana Department of Revenue. According to evidence presented at the January 26, 2015 guilty plea, Santoro, who was the general manager of Top Dollar Pawn in Bossier City from 2009 to 2011, embezzled more than $300,000 from the company. She embezzled the money by falsifying records, which she regularly reviewed and reconciled. A review of her personal bank accounts revealed numerous large, unexplained cash deposits that far exceeded her income from Top Dollar Pawn. The IRS considers the money, which Santoro did not report on her tax returns, as income.

“We are pleased with the sentencing of Ms. Santoro and will continue to work with our federal partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to vigorously pursue those who engage in financial crimes,” stated Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation—New Orleans Field Office, Jerome R. McDuffie. “Ms. Santoro used her place of employment to engage in illegal activity and our office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who engage in these actions.”

The FBI and IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon B. Brown and Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case.