The couple who founded a regional pizza chain are accused of failing to report nearly $5 million in sales to New York state, according to the Monroe County District Attorney's Office.

Carmelo Calascibetta, 58, and Rosanna Calascibetta, 57, the husband and wife founders of Cam's Pizzeria, were indicted Thursday by a Monroe County grand jury on 78 felony counts each, according to Assistant District Attorney Michael Bezer.

The Calascibettas failed to report nearly $5 million in sales between 2011 and 2015 at seven Monroe County locations, Bezer said. The investigation into the alleged fraud began in 2016 and was headed by investigators from the state Office of Taxation and Finance, Bezer said.

By failing to report $5 million, Bezer said the couple owed the state nearly $400,000 in income tax.

"It's just a gross deviation from their own responsibilities and from what they're ultimately supposed to be doing," Bezer said. "It's a large amount over a good period of time."

The Calascibettas were indicted on the following charges:

Five counts of first-degree grand larceny;

13 counts of third-degree criminal tax fraud;

58 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing;

Two counts of third-degree grand larceny.

Bezer is the chief of the office's Bureau of Economic Crimes. Bezer said a date for their arraignment has yet to be scheduled. That will most likely be decided next week.

"During that time, they underreported their gross sales receipts by about $5 million, a little bit less than $5 million," Bezer said.

For each of the businesses, the Calascibettas failed to file proper quarterly sales tax reports to the state, Bezer said. That accounts for the 58 counts of offering a false instrument for filing, he said.

Investigators "noticed the discrepancy" between personal income tax filings and quarterly sales tax reports for each of the businesses, Bezer said. He said each of the restaurants operated as separate limited liability companies.

The Calascibettas were originally arraigned on lesser charges in August 2018, Bezer said.

In total, Cam's Pizzeria now has 17 locations throughout western and central New York, according to its website. Bezer said he is unsure which of the locations the Calascibettas still own.

The Calascibettas opened their first Cam's location in Geneva, in 1980.

WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com

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