Restaurant owner pleads guilty to tax charges

The chef and owner of Il Mito restaurant in Wauwatosa has pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns and structuring bank transactions, according to federal court documents.

Michael Feker, formerly known as Mohammad Daghighfekr, entered a guilty plea to the two counts last week. He is set to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman in October.

Federal sentencing guidelines call for eight to 14 months in prison, according to the plea agreement. The prosecutor is recommending a sentence of four months in prison and four months of home confinement, it says. Feker agreed to pay $37,000 prior to sentencing. He may face other fines as part of the sentence.

The prosecutor and Feker's attorney did not immediately return calls for comment.

Feker has operated restaurants in Milwaukee for nearly a decade, including Il Mito when it was on W. Virginia St. and Los Mitos on N. Jefferson St.

He currently runs Il Mito Trattoria E Enoteca, 6913 W. North Ave., and the School of Culinary Magic next door.

According to the plea agreement, Feker underreported his income between 2001 and 2005, failing to pay taxes of between $12,500 and $30,000 during that time.