Passaic County Man Admits to Failure to Pay Payroll Taxes

NEWARK, N.J. - A Passaic County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a $3.5 million payroll tax evasion scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Walter Hass, 62, of Hewitt, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of failure to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Hass was the owner and operator a shipping/logistics company located in Oakland, New Jersey. Since 2014, he has operated the company under three different names. He failed to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over payroll taxes to the IRS on behalf of each of these companies from 2014 to 2022. In total, he failed to pay over to the IRS at least $3.5 million in payroll taxes. Instead of paying over payroll taxes to the IRS, Hass used company money to fund his personal lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury vehicles, including Aston Martins and McClarens, high-end watches and jewelry, designer clothing items and accessories, tickets to sporting events, home renovations, vacations, water sports vehicles, and extravagant meals.

The charge to which Hass has pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for April, 22, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Calle and Edeli Rivera of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.