Anthony Niro, 61, of Newington, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to three years of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $1.75 million for tax evasion. When imposing the sentence, Judge Williams noted Niro’s medical condition and family circumstances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Niro was a co-owner of A. Niro Landscape Contractors, Inc., a business that provided landscaping and snowplowing services for large commercial properties and personal residences.
Nanette Niro, who is married to Anthony Niro, was the bookkeeper for ANLC and maintained ANLC’s financial records.
For the 2006 through 2010 tax years, Anthony Niro, his business partner, and Nanette Niro conspired to evade both corporate and individual income tax by causing a large portion of ANLC’s receipts to be deposited into two non-interest-bearing checking accounts and transferring money out of the accounts to themselves for their benefit.
Anthony Niro, his business partner, and Nanette Niro failed to provide information about these non-interest-bearing accounts to the tax return preparer who prepared ANLC’s federal income tax returns. In their 2006 through 2009 personal tax returns, the Niros failed to reflect monies received from ANLC and other sources accurately.
A 2010 tax return was not filed.
For the 2006 through 2010 tax years, Anthony and Nanette Niro failed to report to the IRS more than $7.8 million in income, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of $1,451,725. For example, on their 2009 federal individual tax return, Anthony and Nanette Niro reported a taxable income of $131,895 when their correct taxable income for that year was $1,891,955.
Anthony Niro has paid restitution of $1,472,735 to the IRS and has forfeited an additional $127,300. He is still required to pay substantial interest and penalties to the IRS.
On January 4, 2024, Anthony Niro pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Nanette Niro pleaded guilty to the same charge on January 9, 2024, and awaits sentencing.
