Warren Man Pleads Guilty to Underreporting Taxes, U.S. Attorney Says

A Warren man admitted Friday to underreporting over $500,000 in income on his tax returns, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. 

Amadeus Manata pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to information charging him with one count of subscribing to false personal federal income tax returns. 

For the tax years 2005 through 2007, Manata filed returns in which he claimed to report all of his income from his Manhattan-based pizzeria, Pizza Pasta Etc., but which omitted $563,343 in cash he had diverted from the businesses for his personal use, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. 

Manata’s intentional failure to disclose his true income to the IRS resulted in a tax loss to the United States of approximately $190,712. 

As part of his guilty plea, Manata agreed to make full restitution to the IRS for all losses resulting from his filing of false tax returns. 

The count of subscribing to false tax returns is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 16. 

Fishman credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. 

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lakshmi Srinivasan Herman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit. 

Defense Counsel for Manata was attorney Arthur Zucker of Hackensack.