Yesterday, the owner of a Massachusetts paving company admitted to evading federal and state income taxes in a scheme that spanned multiple years. Richard Cooper, 71, of Billerica, who operates Rick Cooper Paving just north of the city, pled guilty to four counts of tax evasion after a federal investigation revealed his misconduct.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Cooper's deceitful practices were not isolated incidents but a planned operation from 2017 to 2020. Instead of depositing customer payments into his company accounts, he cashed over $4.3 million in checks, evading the attention of the revenue service and his unaware tax preparer, and underreporting his business income by millions.
This deliberate concealment resulted in over $1 million in unpaid taxes, a significant loss to the Treasury that could have funded public projects. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis, Jr., announced the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil from the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit played a key role in the prosecution.
With the hearing concluded, Richard Cooper is now awaiting sentencing, scheduled for January 30, by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper. He was charged in September 2024.
