Cumberland County Attorney Admits Tax Evasion

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey-based attorney today admitted evading more than $250,000 in federal taxes on income generated from his law firm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Douglas M. Long, 54, of Upper Deerfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by video conference before U.S. District Judge Noel. L Hillman in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of federal income tax evasion.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2012 through 2015, Long, managing partner of the Woodbury, New Jersey, law firm Long & Marmero LLP, exercised primary control over the firm’s finances and supervised the firm’s bookkeeper. Many of Long’s personal expenses, including school tuition for his children, utilities and service fees for his personal residences, student loan payments for Long and his spouse, and other expenses, repeatedly were paid out of the law firm’s bank accounts.  Long directed the bookkeeper to falsely classify these payments as law firm business expenses to avoid his tax obligations. He also falsely declared, under penalty of perjury, that his personal tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2015 were true and accurate when they were not. Long ultimately concealed over $800,000 in personal income and evaded payment of over $250,000 in taxes owed to the IRS during tax years 2012 through 2015, including $368,000 in income and $120,000 in taxes for tax year 2014. 

The tax evasion charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a potential fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. In connection with his plea, Long also agreed to pay restitution to the IRS. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 11, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, and the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni of the Office’s Camden branch and Bruce P. Keller of Special Prosecutions Division.