Waterbury Man Admits Making False Statements to Federal Agents Conducting Tax Fraud Investigation

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that John B. Maia, 73, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today before Chief United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to one count of making a false statement to federal law enforcement agents investigating his filing of false tax returns.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2010, Maia submitted to a voluntary interview with special agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation who were conducting an investigation into whether Maia had overstated deductions for charitable contributions and listed fictitious business expenses on his federal tax returns from 2005 through 2008. During the interview, Maia falsely stated that the charitable contributions and business expenses were legitimate and that he had provided supporting documentation for the charitable contributions and business expenses to his tax preparer.

Chief Judge Thompson has scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2013, at which time Maia faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Mattei and Eric Glover.