N.J. couple accused of failing to pay taxes on $4.5M in income

A Monmouth County couple has been accused of failing to pay taxes on nearly $4.5 million in income over a five year period and making false statements on a Medicaid Benefits application, officials from the county prosecutor's office announced Thursday.

The married couple, Eli and Lauren Levy, both 43, of Manalapan were each charged with second-degree counts of conspiracy, Medicaid fraud and tax fraud. They were also charged with one count of third-degree making false statements related to a Medicaid application and five counts each of third-degree failing to pay taxes and filing a fraudulent return.

Authorities from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office began investigating the couple after the Medicaid Fraud Division of the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller referred information it had received that the Levys had fraudulently received benefits through the state's Family Care Medicaid Program, officials said in a press release.

The Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Unit of the county prosecutor's office led the investigation, which quickly grew to include a criminal investigation through the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, officials said.

The probe found the Levys intentionally omitted taxable income on their personal tax returns despite two companies they owned earning about $4.48 million in revenue from 2018 through 2022, officials said in the release.

Prosecutors alleged the Levys evaded roughly $768,000 in taxes before interest and penalties.

Authorities also accused the Levys of fraudulently collecting more than $83,000 in medical services through the New Jersey Family Care Medicaid Program from 2015 to 2019.

The Levys turned themselves in to authorities on Tuesday and were released pending future court proceedings.

The couple's attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.