TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — State authorities say the owner of two New Jersey cigar shops has been indicted on charges he never paid $442,000 in state taxes over a four-year period.
The state Division of Criminal Justice says Richard Yanuzzi, of Belleville, and his company, Sparroween LLC, were indicted last week on theft charges related to his two Cigar Emporium stores in Lyndhurst and West Caldwell.
Authorities say Yanuzzi failed to report and pay the sales and tobacco product taxes from 2012 to 2016. They say he also failed to pay state income taxes and didn't file income tax forms for himself.
Authorities say Yanuzzi also never registered one shop with the state Division of Taxation.
Yanuzzi's lawyer says his client plans to plead not guilty.