Manco & Manco Pizza owners arrested for tax evasion

Manco & Manco owners Charles and Mary Bangle were arrested on charges that they failed to report nearly $1 million in income and evaded $336,000 in federal taxes. Manco & Manco is a popular chain of pizza restaurants in New Jersey. 

The owners of a chain of landmark pizza shops on the New Jersey shore were arrested Thursday on charges that they failed to report nearly $1 million in income over five years and evaded $336,000 in federal taxes.

Charles and Mary Bangle, owners of the Manco and Manco pizza parlors, appeared in federal court on Thursday afternoon to face the charges on the 30-count indictment. They were released on unsecured $100,000 bonds and were not required to enter pleas.

Authorities said they committed the crimes from 2007 through 2011, when they were employees of the chain, then known as Mack andManco, an integral part of the shore experience for families who go to Ocean City summer after summer. There are three shops on the Boardwalk of that family-friendly beach town and one more in nearby Somers Point.

His job was running the business; hers was handling payroll and cash.

Eventually, the couple bought the business and attracted attention by renaming the business Manco and Manco to reflect a long-ago split between the founders of the shop. Like other changed traditions, the new name has not been universally embraced.

The couple failed to report income totaling $980,000, the indictment said. If they had reported the income, the government said the taxes would have been $336,000.

Charles Bangle is also accused of moving $340,000 over the span from business accounts to a personal account, all in increments of less than $10,000, so their bank would not be required to report the transactions.

He is charged in 30 counts and his wife is charged in seven. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.

In court Thursday, neither spoke other than to answer basic questions from the judge about whether they understood their rights and agreed to terms of their release.

Attorney Vincent P. Sarubbi issued a statement Thursday on behalf of the couple, saying that Charles Bangle had been cooperating for the past two years with the government's investigation into the allegations that they violated tax law.

"For that reason, today's arrests came as a shock," Sarubbi wrote. "Mr. and Mrs. Bangle intend to vigorously defend themselves in court against these charges. They look forward to presenting defenses at the appropriate judicial proceedings and to the opportunity to have their side of the story heard."

Neither is allowed to travel outside the continental United States or have guns. Charles Bangle agreed to hand over more than a dozen firearms he owns.

Both are due back in court April 14 to enter pleas.