Former Operator of Two Municipal Golf Courses Sentenced to Prison for Tax Conspiracy and Making False Statement

BOSTON - The former operator of two municipal golf courses in Western Massachusetts was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for conspiring to defraud the United States and making a false statement.

Kevin M. Kennedy, 45, of East Longmeadow was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 13 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and restitution to be determined at a later date. The government argued for a sentence of 21-27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $351,565. On Dec. 11, 2023, Kennedy was convicted by a federal jury for conspiracy to defraud the United States and making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. The defendant was acquitted of embezzlement from a local government receiving federal benefits, wire fraud, money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions.

"Stealing from the taxpayers is far from a victimless crime. It diverts scarce resources that are needed to fund important services like education and elder care and public safety," said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. "Every honest law abiding citizen is a victim of this type of embezzlement from the city."

"Today's sentencing of Kevin Kennedy demonstrates that no one is above the law," said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. "Kennedy's status as a professional golfer could not insulate him from the consequences of his actions to defraud the America taxpayers. Today's sentencing demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigations commitment to investigating all financial crimes and ensuring equity in our tax system."

Kennedy owned and operated Kennedy Golf Management Inc., through which he managed the City of Springfield's two public golf courses, Franconia Golf Course and Veterans Memorial Golf Course. Kennedy skimmed money from the company without reporting that money to the IRS. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kennedy conspired with two individuals to evade taxes he owed on money received from his company. Kennedy used a substantial amount of cash to pay for the construction of two custom homes in East Longmeadow and on Cape Cod. To induce the bank to provide him a mortgage for part of the East Longmeadow home, Kennedy submitted a home purchase contract to the bank that falsely reflected a total purchase price reduced by the $160,000 cash downpayment he had made.

Just prior to trial, Kennedy also pleaded guilty to four counts of filing a false individual income tax return for 2011 through 2014, during which he also admitted to filing a false return in 2009 and 2010. For each of those years, Kennedy did not report to his return preparer all of the cash and checks his management company received from his operation of the golf courses.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department's Tax Division; and IRS SAC Chavis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department's Tax Division prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.