Guilford Woman Pleads Guilty To Federal Tax Charges

A Guilford woman is facing two years in prison and a potential $200,000 fine for failing to pay over $13,000 in taxes to the federal government, officials said.

Annunziata Germana, 31, an employee of the mortgage brokerage company Shoreline Finance and Marketing Corporation in Guilford, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in New Haven to two counts of willfully failing to file a tax return.

Germana, who also goes by the last name Acquarulo, used her business’ corporate credit cards and checks to make payments for her personal expenses, including rent, car lease payments, jewelry and clothing, according to a press release from the federal government.

Authorities said she classified these payments — totaling $65,000 over two years — as businesses expenses in the Shoreline bookkeeping records, so to avoid having to pay taxes on the income.

Apart from the potential two-year prison sentence, and $200,000 fine, federal authorities said Germana owes $13,397.70 in back taxes.

The owner of the business, Dominic Acquarulo, pleaded guilty back in March to tax evasion and illegal gambling charges. Officials said Dominic Acquarulo didn’t file a tax return on over $170,000 in income, and that he had operated an illegal sports bookmaking business from 2006 to 2008.

Dominic Acquarulo faces up to nine years in prison and a fine of $600,000. He’s was due for sentencing on June 1.