PROVIDENCE – Six local fishermen, including two from Rhode Island, were charged with tax evasion and failing to file tax returns, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Sunday.
They were among seven fishermen, including four from Massachusetts, indicted by federal grand juries in Boston and Providence. Each worked for companies that operated out of Point Judith and New Bedford. The companies paid the fishermen as independent contractors and filed the proper 1099 forms to the IRS.
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However, each fisherman didn’t file tax returns or pay the proper income taxes on those earnings, according to the indictments. Also, each fisherman cashed the checks and used the cash to fund their daily lifestyle to conceal the source and disposition of their income.
Each allegedly evaded tax on between $900,000 and $1.9 million income.
If convicted each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each evasion count and one year in prison for each failure to file a tax return charge.
The seven fishermen indicted are:
Jorge Cazarin of New Bedford. He was charged with five counts of tax evasion and five counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2020.
Christopher Garraty of Newport and East Greenwich. He was charged with three counts of tax evasion and three counts of willful failure to file for 2016 through 2018, and a fourth count of tax evasion related to taxes he allegedly owed for 2007 through 2011.
Wojciech Kaminski of West Warwick. He was charged with five counts of tax evasion for 2014 and 2016 through 2019 and four counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2019.
Brian Kobus of Durham, Conn. He was charged with five counts of tax evasion for 2017 through 2021.
Rodolfo Membreno of Fall River. He was charged with six counts of tax evasion for 2012 and 2017 through 2021 and four counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2017 through 2019 and 2021.
John Doe of New Bedford. He was charged with six counts of tax evasion for 2016 through 2021 and three counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2018.
Miguel Cruz Rubio of New Bedford and Elizabethtown, N.C. He was charged with four counts of tax evasion for 2016 through 2019.
