Ridgefield Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

Louis Vucci Jr., 44, of Ridgefield, pleaded guilty on October 3 in federal court to evading the payment of nearly $200,000 in federal taxes over a five-year period, according to Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in Hartford Federal Court, from 2005 through 2009, Vucci was the president and CEO of Diamond Ranch Foods (“DRF.”) The pubic company sells and distributes meat and meat products in the New York area.

In pleading guilty, Vucci admitted that he under-reported his income by $112,310 in 2005, $109,473 in 2006, $174,300 in 2007, $187,704 in 2008, and $95,126 in 2009. The unreported income consisted of weekly pay checks from DRF in the amount of $2,500 that were made payable to Vucci’s spouse, who did not work for DRF.

Also, in 2008 and 2009, Vucci had one of DRF’s customers pay him for purchases with blank checks, which checks he then completed and deposited into his personal bank account.  The checks totaled $26,236 in 2008 and $65,387 in 2009.

Vucci pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on December 23, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to approximately $390,000.  He has agreed to pay back taxes and applicable interest and penalties.