BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A Farmington accountant pleaded guilty on Thursday in Bridgeport to filing false tax returns, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Mark Legowski, 60, waived his right to be indicted. Court documents and statements note that from January 2015 through December 2017, Legowski worked as a self-employed accountant and tax return preparer doing business as Legowski & Company, Inc., or LCI, in Farmington.
Prosecutors say Legowski prepared income tax returns for approximately 400 to 500 individual clients and 50 to 60 businesses. They say that for the 2015 to 2017 tax years, Legowski intentionally underreported LCI’s gross receipts in LCI’s computer bookkeeping system by excluding some customer paychecks. He reportedly did this to reduce his personal income tax liability.
Prosecutors report that Legowski filed false personal income tax returns that failed to report more than $1.4 million in business income, causing the IRS to lose $499,289.
“For example, on his 2017 income tax return, Legowski reported taxable income of $56,060 and a tax liability of $6,070 and failed to report an additional $496,808 in business income, which resulted in an income tax deficiency of $178,581,” Public Affairs Officer Tom Carson said.
Legowski is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 25 and faces a maximum term of three years in prison. Prosecutors say he has agreed to cooperate with the IRS to pay $499,289 in back taxes, penalties and interest.
Legowski is released on a $50,000 bond as he awaits sentencing. The investigation was completed by the IRS’ Criminal Investigation Division.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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