SYRACUSE -- The owners of a company that did business at the Shoppingtown Mall movie theatres in DeWitt admit they hired illegal aliens and evaded taxes.
John and Anthony Cimino, owners of LTCI Limited, a theatre refurbishing construction company, pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful employment of illegal aliens and tax evasion.
LTCI is a Philadelphia-based construction company that specializes in the refurbishment of movie theatres. U.S. Immigration and Custom's Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigators say the company was employing undocumented illegal aliens at Shoppingtown. Federal investigators say LTCI hired and employed eight illegal aliens there.
Further investigation by the Internal Revenue Service also revealed that in 2007 and 208, John Cimino, who was in charge of the company's payroll, evaded federal taxes by paying employees a majority of their overtime wages "off the books."
The Ciminos face up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. John Cimino also faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The Ciminos have agreed to forfeit $223,000 from the unlawful employment of the illegal aliens. They have agreed to pay more than $525,000 in underreported payroll taxes owed plus $225,000 in penalties.
