A Connecticut woman has been ordered to pay back nearly $400,000 in restitution to the IRS after being sentenced for tax fraud, officials said.
Analia Mountzoures, 49, of East Lyme, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Kari Dooley in Bridgeport to three years of probation for a tax offense, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Connecticut. The sentencing came after Mountzoures pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting a false tax return on April 23.
According to court documents and statements, Mountzoures operated a business with approximately 10 employees that provided cleaning services to more than 200 commercial and residential clients in southeastern Connecticut. During the 2018 through 2023 tax years, Mountzoures often paid her employees in cash and did not report their wages to the state or federal government. In addition, officials say she did not file required IRS forms related to her employees, did not issue W-2 forms, did not withhold employee taxes as required, and did not pay federal employment taxes and withholding, officials said.
In addition, prosecutors say she also provided her tax return preparer with false information that resulted in personal tax returns that significantly underreported her gross receipts, income, and taxes due and owing. On her 2023 tax return, she reported gross receipts of $12,095 and total taxes before credits as $1,450. But officials say that Mountzoures’ gross receipts were actually $628,072 and the tax due was approximately $96,650.
Mountzoures has also been ordered to pay restitution of $380,167 to the IRS.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
