Bookkeeper Admits to Helping Ridgefield Restaurateur Evade Taxes

RIDGEFIELD, CT — A bookkeeper for a Ridgefield restaurateur waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Tuesday for her role in helping the businessman evade taxes, the state Department of Justice said.

Idalecia Lopes Santos, 59, of Queens Village, N.Y., worked as an outside bookkeeper to Ridgefield resident Bruno DiFabio, who owned Pinocchio Pizza in Wilton, Amore Cucina and Bar in Stamford, ReNapoli Pizza in Old Greenwich, Amore Pizza in Scarsdale, N.Y., and Pinocchio Pizza in Pound Ridge, N.Y. During the times at issue, Santos was employed by two different New York-based accounting firms., the DOJ said.

In October, DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns. The loss to the IRS in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years was $816,954.

As a bookkeeper, Santos worked directly with DiFabio and his employees to determine relevant revenue, payroll and other operating figures for DiFabio’s businesses, and to assist in the preparation of corporate tax returns for the businesses, quarterly tax reporting regarding employee payroll, and the personal income tax returns for the owners.

"In pleading guilty, Santos admitted that she and others at the accounting firms knew that DiFabio and his businesses engaged in a practice whereby cash was removed from the cash registers and not deposited into the restaurants’ operating bank accounts. Despite this knowledge, the accounting firms used the bank records to determine gross receipts of the businesses, and the cash that was removed from the registers was not reported to the IRS. This resulted in the understatement of income and taxes owed on DiFabio’s personal income tax returns.," the DOJ said in a release.

The charge of tax evasion carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Santos was released pending sentencing.

In September, DiFabio’s business partner in some of his restaurants, Steven Cioffi, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. Both Cioffi and DiFabio await sentencing.