Cihan Calkap, the former owner of Mimmo’s Pizza and Kitchen in Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion before United States District Judge Kai N. Scott, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney David Metcalf.
Court documents state that between 2015 and 2019, Calkap ran the restaurant, which employed about 25 people and generated significant income. Instead of depositing all receipts into business accounts, he kept cash from the business for himself and used it to pay most employees off the books.
Authorities say Calkap provided incomplete financial information to his accountant by sharing only bank records that did not reflect all cash income. This led to false corporate and personal tax returns being filed with the IRS for both Mimmo’s and Calkap from 2015 through 2018. Additionally, Calkap told his accountant that Mimmo’s had only four employees—including himself—while the actual number was around 25. This misrepresentation allowed him to reduce employment taxes paid to the IRS.
Calkap is scheduled for sentencing on May 14 and could face up to five years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant Deputy Chief Thomas F. Koelbl and Trial Attorney Likhitha Butchireddygari of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Tax Section, with support from Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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