Evergreen Reporter

Vanessa R. Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Bill G. Makros, a 58-year-old business owner from Danbury, has been sentenced to seven months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for tax evasion. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford.

Court documents and statements revealed that Makros owned Budget Tree and Stump Removal Service, LLC. From 2016 to 2020, his business grossed $1,426,915. However, he concealed income by receiving customer payments via checks made payable to "cash" or directly to him and deposited them into non-business accounts or cashed them without depositing into any account. During these years, Makros failed to file federal individual tax returns and did not pay taxes amounting to $140,694.

Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Makros received two relief loans totaling $31,200. He submitted IRS Schedule C forms as part of his loan applications that claimed to be part of his tax returns for 2019 and 2020 despite not having filed those returns with the IRS. These loans were forgiven later.

Judge Oliver has ordered Makros to pay restitution of $137,672 to the IRS.

Makros pleaded guilty to tax evasion on July 1, 2024. Previously in 2008, he was convicted in Connecticut state court for failing to pay sales tax twice.

Currently released on bond, Makros must report to prison on January 7, 2025.

The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King.