Holmdel Man Charged With Evading $1.5M In Taxes: Police

HOLMDEL, NJ — A Monmouth County pair of siblings were charged in connection with evading payment of $1.5 million in payroll taxes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced on Friday.

Enrico Cifelli, 51, of Holmdel, was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of evasion of payment of payroll taxes, four counts of failure to pay over payroll taxes, and one count of evasion of assessment of income tax.

If convicted, Cifelli faces up to 35 years in prison, along with a fine of $1.5 million, Sellinger said.

Cifelli was charged alongside his sister, Michelle Bocchieri, 42, of Matawan. Bocchieri has been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Currently, both Cifelli and Bocchieri are out on bond awaiting their scheduled arraignments.

According to officials, between 2013 and October 2020, Cifelli and Bocchieri conspired to evade the payment of more than $1.5 million in payroll taxes, penalties, and interest that Cifelli owed the IRS.

Cifelli owned two companies: Cifelli Disposal Inc., a waste disposal business, and LBAB LLC, a construction business. Between the years of 2004 and 2019, he failed to pay the vast majority of payroll taxes for both companies, resulting in more than $1.5 million in taxes, penalties, and interest, Sellinger said.

In order to avoid paying the IRS, Cifelli claimed he lacked the ability to pay his back taxes. This resulted in Bocchieri funding Cifelli’s lifestyle through an entity she owned, but Cifelli controlled, Sellinger said.

Both Cifelli and Bocchieri were arrested and charged on Thursday.

The arraignment is scheduled for Apr. 4, by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan.