Meat Distributor Admits to Tax Evasion

CAMDEN – The owner of a meat distribution company admitted to evading taxes related to income diverted from his companies for his personal use, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman stated in a March 22 announcement.
Nicholas Papanier Sr., 57, of Sewell, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to an Information charging him with one count of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, between 2006 and 2009, Papanier owned Nellie’s Provisions, a meat distribution company that provided all of the meat for Primo Hoagies franchises and other independent restaurants. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, Papanier persuaded Primo Hoagies franchise owners to buy Thumann’s deli products from Nellie’s Provisions, often paying for them in cash. He took a significant amount of the cash paid to Nellie’s Provisions and deposited it into his personal bank accounts. He then used the money from his personal accounts to pay personal xpenditures. He diverted a total of $556,664 for the calendar years 2006, 2007 and 2008 in the amounts of $56,395, $349,264, and $151,005, respectively.
Papanier admitted that he did not report the diverted cash to the IRS and only reported Form W-2 wages, interest and dividend income, and property tax information. By omitting all of the diverted cash, he failed to disclose and report a significant portion of this income on his tax returns, causing those tax returns to substantially understate the amount of income he received.
He admitted that for 2006, 2007 and 2008, had he reported the additional cash on his income tax returns he would have owed the government $189,656.
As part of the plea and in addition to the restitution, Papanier agreed to forfeit $484,010 to the United States. On Oct. 14, 2009, the United States filed a Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem to forfeit and condemn to the use and benefit of the United States $372,042.54 in United States currency that was seized from Papanier’s bank accounts. On Sept. 16, 2010, the United States filed another Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem to forfeit and condemn to the use and benefit of the United States an additional $111,967.50 in United States currency that was seized from Papanier’s bank accounts. The Complaints alleged that the subject funds were subject to forfeiture to the United States because they were involved in and were traceable to Structuring of Currency to Avoid a Reporting Requirement.
The charge to which Papanier pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28.