A Pennsylvania pizza kingpin is now facing a less-than-appetizing future behind bars. Ammar Jali, former owner of a pie-slinging empire that spanned across two states, was slapped with a one-year and one-day prison sentence for his saucy scheme of tax evasion. United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero laid out the toppings of Jali's crime, stating he was also ordered to fork over $2.5 million to the IRS and pay a $50,000 fine.
Under the crust of Jali's business operations were 36 Domino’s Pizza stores stretching from Pennsylvania to Ohio, but the dough didn't rise cleanly. From 2014 to 2016, the 56-year-old Bethlehem local cooked the books to hide a hefty $10 million in gross receipts, a move that caused a major case of indigestion for the federal tax system. As Romero dished out in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, "Mr. Jali went beyond risk-taking straight to law-breaking."
Jali's scheme was a topping too far, as he pleaded guilty on January 29, 2024, to filing a false tax return for his lucrative pizza network. The under-the-table dealings landed Jali a conviction for serving up a $2.5 million tax loss to Uncle Sam. Emphasizing the gravity of the crime, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, Romero noted, "This case should send the message that my office and IRS-CI won’t put up with tax cheats, and we will pursue and prosecute these crimes to ensure they’re held accountable."
IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Denise Leuenberger had a slice of wisdom for any would-be tax dodgers. In a crusty retort to the sentencing, she warned, "Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes." Her comments made it clear, those who attempt to deliver their own form of financial anchovies will be caught and appropriately topped with penalties, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation took a bite out of crime by leading the investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright serving up the prosecution. This financial feast of folly has now ended with Jali boxed up for a year-long time out. He's scheduled to have a slice of supervised release following his custodial stint.
