Rewrite this title RI and MA fisherman charged with tax evasion

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Two Rhode Island fisherman and four Massachusetts fisherman were among seven charged with tax evasion and failing to file tax returns.  

According to the indictments, the commercial fisherman each worked for fishing companies operating mainly out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, or Point Judith, Rhode Island. 

The companies allegedly paid the fishermen as independent contractors and documented that income in several ways. However, the fisherman allegedly did not file individual tax returns or pay all the taxes owed on that income. 

To conceal the source of their income, the fishermen allegedly cashed paychecks and then used the cash to fund their lifestyles. Each allegedly avoided paying taxes on between $900,000 and $1.9 million in income. 

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each evasion count and one year for each failure to file a tax return charge. 

Seven people in total were indicted: 

Jorge Cazarin of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was charged with five counts of tax evasion and five counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2020. 

Christopher Garraty of Newport and East Greenwich, Rhode Island, was charged with three counts of tax evasion and three counts of willful failure to file for 2016 through 2018, and a fourth count of tax evasion related to taxes he allegedly owed for 2007 through 2011. 

Wojciech Kaminski of West Warwick, Rhode Island, was charged with five counts of tax evasion for 2014 and 2016 through 2019 and four counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2019. 

Brian Kobus of Durham, Connecticut, was charged with five counts of tax evasion for 2017 through 2021. 

Rodolfo Membreno of Fall River, Massachusetts, was charged with six counts of tax evasion for 2012 and 2017 through 2021 and four counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2017 through 2019 and 2021. 

John Doe of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was charged with six counts of tax evasion for 2016 through 2021 and three counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2018. 

Miguel Cruz Rubio of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Elizabethtown, North Carolina, was charged with four counts of tax evasion for 2016 through 2019.