Amherst businessman sentenced to probation for tax evasion

George Ward, 57, of North Tonawanda, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra to serve the first six months in home confinement, which requires complete confinement except for activities specifically approved by the court, and the second six months in home confinement, which is less restrictive.

Ward was also ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution to the IRS and $646,770 to the state Department of Taxation and Finance.

Between 2015 and 2020, Ward, who owned and operated a fire protection and inspection business, failed to file his personal income tax returns, which included substantial business income. He also failed to pay income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld from his employees’ wages, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of $953,793.

Ward also failed to file his taxes, totaling $165,645. Prosecutors said he also made false statements to an IRS tax agent about his tax filing and the status of his business, independently cashed more than $2 million in customer checks, and deposited money from his business activities into a bank account held in his wife’s name.