Prosecutors: Jersey Shore Pizzeria Owners Skimmed Nearly $1M, Lived Lavishly

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Federal prosecutors claim the owners of a chain of landmark Jersey shore pizza places used money they allegedly hid from the government to maintain a lavish lifestyle, according to court documents filed in the case.

Manco and Manco owners Charles and Mary Bangle are accused of skimming $981,459 from their three Ocean City Boardwalk stores over a five-year period and of failing to pay $336,273 in taxes.

The government claims the couple took the money from the strictly cash business, which generates in excess of $4.5 million a year.

The couple told the IRS in May 2012 they live a modest lifestyle, court documents say. They maintain their innocence, and their lawyers are seeking the dismissal of most of the charges included in a 30-count indictment handed up last year.

Citing court documents, The Press of Atlantic City reported that federal investigators traced $770,000 of the unreported funds to credit card charges for personal living expenses.

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