Pizzeria Owner Defrauds State Out Of $8.9 Million In Tax: Prosecutors

SKOKIE, IL — Prosecutors charged the owner of a chain of family-owned pizza restaurants in Chicago and the suburbs defrauded taxpayers out of nearly $9 million over nearly a decade.

Salvatore "Sam" Cirrincione, 58, of South Barrington, turned himself in to face a class X felony charge of theft of more than $100,000 of government property ahead of an initial court appearance Tuesday in Skokie.

Cirrincione is accused of forging his pizzerias' paperwork to conceal their actual sales. According to a court filing from Assistant State's Attorney Jim Pontrelli, he underreported more than $100.37 million in gross revenue between January 2010 and June 2019.

As a result, the state lost out on more than $8.96 million, according to the prosecutor. The loss was calculated using point-of-sale systems recovered while executing search warrants at Cirrincione's restaurants.

A long-term investigation by the Illinois Department of Revenue Criminal Investigation Unit and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office focused on five restaurants owned and operated by Cirrincione and other family members, Pontrelli alleged.

They included Pizza Pete, Biagio Cirrincione, Mr. B's Stuffed Pizza, Suparossa on Western and Suparossa Woodridge, which is now listed as closed.

According to prosecutors, investigators carried out a search warrant on Cirrincione's home in July 2019 and discovered about $118,500 in cash marked by date and restaurant.

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The investigation also determined that Cirrcinione's home computer was used to submit monthly sales tax forms for the companies, according to Pontrelli.

Kevin Bolger, who represented Cirrincione Wednesday at his initial court appearance, stipulated to the facts in the prosecutor's filing.

"I've had an opportunity to view it," Bolger said, "and we agree that there is probable cause for detention."

The Cirrincione family's Suparossa Restaurant Group, which also includes Biagio Events & Catering, has operating restaurants in the area since 1957 and has served pizza at Taste of Chicago since the 1970s, according to its website.

A conviction for a class X felony carries with it a minimum sentence of six years in state prison.

Cirrincione posted the $10,000 cash portion of his bond to secure his release ahead of his next court appearance Aug. 25, when he is set to be indicted by grand jury.