Westport Man Sentenced To Prison On Tax Evasion Charge: Feds

WESTPORT, CT — A Westport man was sentenced Monday to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, on a tax evasion charge, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a news release, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Leonard Boyle announced Robert Porzio, 48, who operates Bert's Tree Service, Inc., has also been ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Porzio is accused of depositing numerous customers' checks into personal bank accounts, transferring a significant portion of the funds into a personal investment account and keeping his receipt of the additional payments from the corporation's bookkeeper.

These diverted payments were not reported either on his individual federal tax returns as additional salary or on the corporation's tax returns as additional receipts, Boyle said.

According to Boyle, Porzio failed to report a total of more than $900,000 in additional income for the 2012-2016 tax years. The underreporting of Porzio's income tax liability and the company’s payroll tax obligations resulted in a loss of $331,388 to the IRS, Boyle said.

Porzio pleaded guilty on Dec. 16. He has paid his back taxes but still owes interest and penalties, Boyle said.