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Newark Non-Profit Director, Political Fundraiser Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Tax Evasion

Newark

The former executive director of a Newark-based childcare and community program and a partner in a political fundraising and consulting company today admitted committing wire fraud and tax evasion, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

According to authorities, Kiburi D. Tucker, 42, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion.

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

As the executive director of The Centre Inc., Tucker embezzled Centre Inc. funds, through ATM, debit card and bank withdrawal transactions to fund his personal expenditures such as gambling, travel, and furnishing his home. Tucker defrauded The Centre Inc. of $332,116 from 2012 through 2015.

Tucker also intentionally under-reported the proceeds that he took from The Centre Inc. to the IRS. He intentionally under-reported the income that he received for tax year 2015 from his partnership in Elite Strategies, a political fundraising and consulting company, by filing false federal personal income tax returns. Tucker admitted that he was responsible for underreporting $177,040 in income from the above sources for the 2015 tax year, resulting in a tax loss of $56,509.

The count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The count of tax evasion is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 27, 2018.

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