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For Immediate Release:  
For Further Information:
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June 1, 2009  

Peter Aseltine
609-292-4791

Office of The Attorney General
- Anne Milgram, Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
- Deborah L. Gramiccioni, Director

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Jersey City Man Sentenced to 8 ½ Years in State Prison for $573,000 Homestead Rebate Scam

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TRENTON – Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni announced that a Jersey City man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a conspiracy involving his business partner and members of the partner’s family in which they stole $573,383 from the state by filing fraudulent applications for 745 Homestead Rebate checks.

According to Director Gramiccioni, Paul Sarris, 52, of Jersey City, was sentenced to 8 ½ years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Darlene J. Pereksta in Mercer County. Sarris pleaded guilty on March 31 to a second-degree charge of theft by deception. He also was ordered to pay restitution of $282,902, representing his share of the amount stolen from the state plus a penalty and interest.

In pleading guilty, Sarris admitted that he conspired with his business partner, Achilles “Butz” Amante, 57, formerly of Jersey City, in a fraudulent scheme in which they filed 745 false Homestead Rebate applications with the State of New Jersey between August 2001 and September 2003, including multiple applications for each of 15 residential and commercial addresses they rented in Jersey City.

Deputy Attorney General Denise Grugan is prosecuting the case and represented the Division of Criminal Justice at the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by Auditors Kevin Curry and Debra Lewaine of the Division of Taxation - Office of Criminal Investigation.

The state’s investigation revealed that the defendants filed the applications using names and Social Security numbers obtained from tax preparation clients, without permission of the clients. The defendants laundered the $573,383 in stolen funds by depositing the rebate checks in various commercial bank accounts maintained for their businesses. Sarris specifically admitted that he deposited 371 checks totaling more than $282,000 into six bank accounts he maintained and controlled on behalf of his business, Sarris Financial Services.

Charges are pending against Butz Amante, who is a fugitive. An arrest warrant has been issued for him.

Three of Amante’s children and his sister, all of Jersey City, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced last year for participating in the scheme.

Amorito “Angelo” A. Amante, 35, and Aloysius M. Amante, 33, were each sentenced to five years in state prison after pleading guilty to theft by deception. Amorito Amante was ordered to pay $80,173 in restitution, while Aloysius Amante was ordered to pay $40,794 in restitution.

Aristides Amante, 29, also pleaded guilty to theft by deception, and was ordered to serve five years probation, conditioned on serving 30 days in the sheriff’s labor program. He was ordered to pay $78,000 in restitution. Matilda Amante Ramos, 58, pleaded guilty to theft by deception and was ordered to serve five years probation and pay $35,851 in restitution.

Matilda Amante Ramos ran a travel agency, while all of the other defendants operated their own financial service companies offering tax preparation services.

Attorney General Milgram credited the Jersey City Police Department with initiating the investigation after receiving a tip that numerous Homestead Rebate checks addressed to different names were sent to a Jersey City address rented by Sarris and Butz Amante. They referred the case to the New Jersey Division of Taxation - Office of Criminal Investigation, which conducted an audit that identified hundreds of fraudulent rebate applications linked to the defendants. The Division of Taxation brought the Division of Criminal Justice into the investigation.

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