Former Corporate General Counsel from Morris County Sentenced for Tax Evasion

Chatham Lawyer Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison for Failing to File Income Tax Returns Over Four Years

John Goggins, a 63-year-old resident of Chatham, New Jersey, and former general counsel for a major public company, was sentenced to eight months in prison today for willfully failing to file federal income tax returns from 2018 to 2021. The sentence, handed down by U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court, marks the conclusion of a significant tax evasion case.

Goggins, who served as a senior vice-president and general counsel of a well-known publicly traded corporation, earned a gross income of $54 million over the four years through wages, stock options, and other investments, yet failed to meet his tax obligations. This substantial income included earnings from restricted stock awards, the exercise of annual nonqualified stock options, as well as dividends and gains from stock sales.

In court, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger detailed that Goggins had not only neglected his filing responsibilities but had also significantly shortchanged the government by avoiding income tax payments. The severity of these offenses was underscored by the subsequent penalties: besides the prison term, Goggins is subjected to one year of supervised release and has been ordered to pay $3.11 million in restitution to the IRS, which he has already settled, along with a $40,000 fine.

The investigation, led by IRS-Criminal Investigation under Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, brought to light the details of the financial misconduct. The prosecution was carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark and Trial Attorney Kenneth Vert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

This case serves as a stern reminder of the legal consequences facing individuals, regardless of their position or income level, who fail to comply with federal tax laws.