HONOLULU (KHON2) — The owner of an Oʻahu automotive business pleaded no contest to several tax crimes and has been ordered to pay restitution, the state Department of Taxation said on Oct. 8.
Cecil C. Robinson, owner of Carvice, LLC, pleaded no contest to five counts of Willful Failure to File Return, officials said.
The Department of Taxation’s Criminal Investigation Section investigated Robinson’s case before it was prosecuted by the Department of the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Division.
“The Department of Taxation treats the willful failure to pay taxes as a serious offense,” department Director Gary Suganuma said. “Paying one’s taxes is a civic duty and when someone deliberately avoids paying their fair share, it’s not just illegal but unfair to everyone else who does the right thing.”
State Attorney General Anne Lopez emphasized that her office is more than willing to prosecute those accused of tax-related crimes, saying that offenders must be held accountable.
“The Department of the Attorney General criminally prosecutes those who willfully fail to pay their taxes to the fullest extent of the law,” Lopez said. “Those who ignore their responsibilities will be held accountable.”
Robinson was sentenced to a one-year deferral term and ordered to pay restitution totaling $798,489.01, which must be paid in full.