ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Konstantinos Votsis, 63, of Rochester, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci to tax evasion. The charge carries a maximum sentence five years in prison, a fine of $616,124, or both. In addition, Votsis agreed in related asset forfeiture proceedings to forfeit $250,000 to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the matter, stated that Votsis owned and controlled Rookies Neighborhood Sports Bar, a restaurant and bar in Gates, N.Y. In 2009, the defendant learned of a pending audit of his sales taxes, and in response, directed that sales data contained in Rookies’ point-of-sale computer system be deleted. This data, which was later recovered by the Government, showed that Votsis failed to report $986,660 in income from his Rookies business from 2006 through 2008. By concealing such income, the defendant evaded paying $308,062 in taxes that he owed to the Internal Revenue Service.
Acting IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen said: “Business owners are expected to report all of their gross receipts. When business owners hide receipts to evade paying all of the taxes they are legally required to, law abiding businesses and taxpayers ultimately end up making up the difference. IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to seeing that everyone pays their fair share."
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Shantelle P. Kitchen, Acting Special Agent in Charge.
Votsis will be sentenced by Judge Geraci on September 4, at 3:30 p.m.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
