Ex-IRS agent pleads guilty

A former IRS tax specialist admitted in federal court in Maryland that he owes more than $789,000 in overdue taxes, federal authorities said.

John Venuti, 62, of Harwood, Md, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to three counts of failing to file a federal income tax return, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland.

Venuti worked at the accounting firm KPMG LLP from 2002 until January as a tax consultant and principal, court documents state. He worked for the IRS from 1974 to 1983, including three years during which he was chief of the Tax Treaty and Technical Services Division.

According to the plea agreement, Venuti did not file federal tax returns from 2001 to 2006. Each year, though, he requested and was granted a six-month extension, and made a total of $97,060 in payments along with the extension requests. Authorities said he owes more than $789,000 in back taxes.

In July 2008, after he was told he was under criminal investigation, Venuti submitted tax returns for the tax years 2001 to 2006, authorities said.

Venuti faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison for each of the three counts. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 2.

-- Maria Glod

