Former owner of Mimmo’s Pizza and Kitchen, a Philadelphia-based restaurant, Cihan Calkap, has pleaded guilty to a single count of tax evasion, as confirmed by United States Attorney David Metcalf. Calkap, who resides in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, faced Judge Kai N. Scott in a federal court earlier today, admitting to the charge against him.
According to the US Department of Justice, between 2015 and 2019, Calkap siphoned cash from Mimmo’s Pizza to run an "off the books" operation. While the business employed roughly 25 people, court filings reveal that Calkap only officially reported four of them for tax purposes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Calkap filed false tax returns by intentionally withholding income and expense data from his accountant.
Calkap underreported receipts from 2015 to 2018 and lied to his tax preparer about his staff size. While he claimed to have only four employees, evidence revealed a workforce of approximately 25.
Now awaiting sentencing on May 14, Calkap faces up to five years in prison. The investigation was a joint effort between the IRS and the DOJ's Tax Section, prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Chief Thomas F. Koelbl, Trial Attorney Likhitha Butchireddygari, and AUSA Patrick J. Murray.
