Aberdeen lawyer admits evading IRS, faces prison time

A lawyer from Aberdeen faces up to five years in prison for maneuvering about $200,000 outside federal income reporting requirements.

Magdy Fouad Anise, also known as Michael Anise, 52, pleaded guilty to a charge of structuring in Newark federal court, according to the office of New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. He also risks a fine as high as $250,000 at sentencing, scheduled for June 22.

Anise practiced at the Jersey City firm of Anise & Anise.

Documents filed in the case alleged that from 2009 through 2011, Anise referred personal injury clients to doctors and others and took kickbacks in return.

Instead of cash, Anise asked a doctor for gold bars, donations to Anise's church, and mortgage payments, authorities said.

From 2009 through 2012, Anise deposited cash into five bank accounts, in amounts below the $10,000 threshold that requires filings of currency transaction reports (CTR) with the Internal Revenue Service.

CTR information includes the identities of the individuals and organizations involved in the transaction. Structuring involves multiple deposits or withdrawals of under $10,000 in one day or consecutive days to evade filing requirements.