By: Richard L. Smith
A Monmouth County resident pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges after authorities say he attempted to hide millions in unpaid taxes through a complex series of property transfers and false filings.
According to information released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Matthew Tucci, of West Long Branch, entered a guilty plea in federal court for evading more than $2 million in taxes owed for the 2015 and 2016 tax years.
Court records show that Tucci acknowledged in his tax filings that he owed the Internal Revenue Service significant sums for both years, yet failed to pay the full amount.
Instead, he used his financial resources to purchase real estate and carried out multiple transactions intended to obscure his ownership and interest in those properties.
In 2017, after receiving IRS notices demanding payment for back taxes, interest, and penalties, Tucci transferred ownership of several properties to an entity controlled by another individual.
Despite this, he retained control over at least two of the properties—selling one and refinancing another—while using the proceeds for personal expenses rather than paying down his tax liabilities.
In 2019, Tucci further misled federal authorities by submitting documents falsely claiming he had no connection to the entity that held ownership of 12 properties involved in the scheme.
Tucci is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as potential restitution, monetary penalties, and a term of supervised release.
The final sentence will be determined by a federal judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant legal factors.