RI Man Previously Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison Convicted a Second Time on Tax Charges

RI Man Previously Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison Convicted a Second Time on Tax Charges

A Rhode Island businessman was convicted Thursday on tax charges for a second time, admitting that this time, he failed to pay more than $1.3 million in taxes, penalties, fees, and interest owed to the IRS dating back to tax years 2007 through 2013, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

Under the terms of a plea agreement filed with the court, William N. L’Europa, 60, of Cranston, entered a guilty plea Thursday to a charge of tax evasion.

Now, he is required to pay restitution to the IRS totaling $1,367,336.08 no later than the date of sentencing in this matter. L’Europa is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2025.

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About Case

According to the U.S. Attorney, in 2012, L’Europa and a business partner were convicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing a false tax return. 

They admitted to the court that they underreported business receipts for tax years 2007 through 2010, resulting in the underpayment of federal taxes to the Internal Revenue Service of more than $500,000. 

In January 2013, L’Europa was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to file accurate, amended federal tax returns for tax years 2007 through 2011, and to pay all taxes due the IRS.

Court documents show that in March 2019, L’Europa submitted documentation to the IRS falsely indicating that he had little or no income. 

As a result, the IRS did not pursue collections of taxes due at that time.  Further, in 2022 L’Europa signed an Offer in Compromise to lower his liability for taxes owed for calendar years 2007 through 2013, knowing that he was understating his actual personal income. 

The IRS determined that, in fact, L’Europa manipulated the finances and business records for a business for which he worked to have it underreport his income and conceal his personal expenditures.

The U.S. Attorney said that spending included over $10,000 on a motorcycle, $100,000 to discharge a debt owed to the State of Rhode Island, $12,000 down payment on a new truck for his wife, and other personal expenditures paid for through the use of a business credit card, paid off with funds from business accounts.