Andrew Cosenza Jr., 57, of Cherry Hill, was indicted last month on one count of theft by failure to make required disposition of property received; eight counts of filing a false or fraudulent tax return; and eight counts of failure to turn over collected, withheld taxes.
The investigation began in 2023 after authorities stated that Cosenza failed to submit the proper amount of sales tax for his business, The Bistro at Cherry Hill, a full-service restaurant located inside the mall.
Officials said discrepancies were found between the gross amounts Cosenza reported on his tax returns and the amounts provided to the state for 2021 and 2022.
Authorities allege Cosenza failed to remit $271,621 in sales tax to the New Jersey Division of Taxation.
"A review of Cosenza's business tax filings showed that the gross receipts reported for The Bistro at Cherry Hill significantly exceeded the gross receipts reported on the business's Sales and Use Tax form," the attorney general's office said. "It is alleged that the business was collecting sales tax from its customers and not turning that money over to the state, as required."
If convicted, second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.