Connecticut Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax Offenses, Agrees to Pay $2.8 Million in Restitution

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that MICHAEL SIMES, 50, of Newtown, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to offenses related to his failure to file tax returns, and acknowledged that he failed to pay more than $3.1 million in taxes, penalties, and interest owed.

According to court documents and statements made in court, for the 2013 tax year and the 2016 through 2022 tax years, Simes, an attorney, failed to file U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of $1,876,307 on gross income of more than $5.6 million. For the 2016 through 2020 tax years, Simes requested filing extensions until October of each year, but still failed to file and pay the taxes he owed.

In addition, Simes filed tax returns for the 2012, 2014, and 2015 tax years, but he paid only a fraction of taxes reported as due, thereby incurring substantial penalties and interest.

Simes has agreed to pay restitution of the presently outstanding balance of $2,871,676.

Simes pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to file a tax return. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for June 8, at which time Simes faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. Simes is released on a $40,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.