CLARK COUNTY, Ind. — Indiana State Police arrested a man and his wife—both undocumented immigrants—after a two-year investigation found the pair allegedly ran several fake business and avoided paying taxes.
Jony O. Zavala, 50, and Maria Nataren Bonilla, 40, are charged with racketeering, a Level 5 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; and tax evasion, a Level 6 felony. Zavala faces 12 felony counts and Bonilla faces eight.
ISP said the investigation began after a tip that someone in Clarksville, Indiana was creating fake businesses in order for individuals not legally allowed to register their vehicles to buy, register, and title vehicles in Indiana.
Zavala reportedly charged individuals money to set up and provide the vehicle registrations and that he had registered 29 LLCs over several years for what had appeared to be fake businesses.
ISP later found tax returns filed for Zavala and Bonilla from 2019 through 2023, but were returns filed for only two of the nine LLCs that Zavala and Bonilla own.
They are both being held in the Clark County jail.
