MANCHESTER, NH – Ward 8 Alderman Thomas Katsiantonis has not resigned from his elected posts, despite his arrest last week on tax evasion and theft charges.
But on Wednesday Katsiantonis paid more than $10,000 in back taxes owed on his residential property, according to the Union Leader, and he announced he will not seek re-election so that he can “focus on his family.”
Katsiantonis, 44, a democrat, was arrested June 1 and charged by the Attorney General’s office with 4 counts of tax evasion, 2 counts of theft, 1 count of falsifying physical evidence and 1 count of unsworn falsification. He also serves as a state representative.
The same day, Mayor Ted Gatsas publicly urged Katsiantonis to resign his Aldermanic seat in a public statement.
The theft charges allege that Katsiantonis, as owner and operator of Grand Slam Pizza, stole over $277,000 in monthly meals and rentals tax payments from June 1, 2011 through December 31, 2016 and as owner and operator of Tommy K’s Restaurant and Bar, stole over $146,000 in such payments from May 1, 2015 through December 31, 2016.
Katsiantonis is also charged with crimes related to his attempt to evade business profits taxes resulting in additional tax due; and owing [back taxes] committed during a recent Department of Revenue Administration audit of Grand Slam Pizza; and related to false statements made on Tommy K’s liquor license renewal application. The theft charges against Katsiantonis are class A felonies and are punishable by up to 7.5 to 15 years at the State Prison.
All other felony offenses charged against Katsiantonis constitute class B felonies punishable by up to 3.5 to 7 years and the class A misdemeanor offense of unsworn falsification carries up to a $2,000 fine and a year in jail.
Katsiantonis retains dual citizenship in his home country of Greece, where he serves as president of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association, an organization that “builds relations and contacts between members of legislatures who are of Greek origin in non-Greek speaking countries.”
Katsiantonis’ younger brother, George Katsiantonis, is a member of the Greek parliament, whose political career was guided by his elder brother, according to a 2016 personal profile of Thomas Katsiantonis in an online publication called Human Stories. In the context of that interview, Katsiantonis spoke about taking risks in life, and his strong ties to Greece. George Katsiantonis, 39, a graduate of UNH and SNHU, is listed as a shareholder in Grand Slam Pizza between 2007 and 2013.
“Of course, I would go back to Elassona, Greece, and stay there permanently. I have learned to take risks in life. Nothing scares me except taxation in Greece which keeps changing,” Katsiantonis is quoted as saying. “Opportunities exist even in a crisis. I would create things and live under different circumstances with my friends, and neighbours (sic) in Elassona, which is a beautiful provincial area. I would wake up and go to the square. There would be no need to phone my friends, since they would already be there.”
The article also says that Katsiantonis “had many offers from Greek parties to become a candidate” in Greece.
When asked June 9 whether there was any evidence that the investigation into Katsiantonis’ alleged crimes extended into international territory, given his strong ties to Greece, NH Assistant Attorney General Patrick Queenan said he could not answer that question specific to the case, but generally speaking, “if the state is investigating state crimes and there’s a federal or international component, we will refer the case to the proper agency.”
The Department of Revenue Administration and the Attorney General’s Office continue to investigate revenue suppression related to the State’s tax programs. If you have information related to revenue suppression or tax fraud, please visit the Department of Revenue Administration’s website, or send an e-mail to TaxFraudHotline@dra.nh.gov, or call the Tax Fraud Hotline at 603-230-5030.
