A New York resident was sentenced to 18 months in prison on February 26, 2026, for failing to report more than $1.6 million in income that he embezzled from his employer. The announcement was made by Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello.
Jooyeong Lee, of Westbury, New York, had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to filing a false federal income tax return. Judge Hayden handed down the sentence.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Lee embezzled over $1.6 million from various high-end car dealerships in New Jersey where he worked between approximately 2015 and 2021. He did not report or pay taxes on these funds as income when filing his tax returns over those seven years, resulting in a tax loss of $494,082.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, led by Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, for conducting the investigation that resulted in this sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark represented the government.
"Defense counsel: Jason A. Seidman, Esq."
