Tecademics’ Jim Piccolo sentenced to 18 months in prison
Tecademics co-founder Jim Piccolo (aka James Philip Piccolo), has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Piccolo was charged with tax fraud in January 2023. As alleged by the DOJ;
JAMES PICCOLO was the co-owner and operator of Tecademics, LLC (“Tecademics”), a business located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
JAMES PICCOLO exercised control over Tecademics’s business affairs, including approving payments by the company and controlling all of Tecademics’s bank accounts.
At all times relevant to this information, JAMES PICCOLO was a “responsible person,” that is, he had the corporate responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over Tecademics’s payroll taxes.
JAMES PICCOLO collected income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes from Tecademics employees by withholding those amounts from the employees’ paychecks.
On or about June 5, 2017, in the District of Arizona, JAMES PICCOLO did willfully fail to truthfully pay over to the Internal Revenue Service all of the federal income taxes withheld and FICA taxes due and owing to the United States on behalf of Tecademics and its employees, for the first quarter of 2017.
All in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202.
Piccolo (right) initially pled not guilty on January 10th. Later that same day however he changed his plea to guilty.
As part of Piccolo’s guilty plea, he agreed to pay $651,478 in restitution.
Following several delays, on September 28th Piccolo was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The agreed $651,478 in restitution was also ordered, as well as a $10,000 fine.
Piccolo has been ordered to surrender himself to U.S. Marshals by January 2nd, 2024 to begin his sentence.
Tecademics’ run as an MLM company was short-lived.
Tecademics launched in 2016 with co-founder Chris Record (right) as the face of the company.
I ran a search on Chris Record but it seems he hasn’t been charged with anything.
Tecademics sold a $100 a month subscription, as well as $2000 and $10,000 internet marketing courses.
In early 2018 Tecademics was sold to Piccolo through his company IQup. The MLM opportunity was discontinued.
Today Tecademics’ website is still online. The company itself however appears to have long-since collapsed.
Tecademics’ Facebook page was abandoned in January 2018. SimilarWeb tracked just 875 visits to Tecademics’ website in August 2023.
With Piccolo heading to prison, no doubt what was left of Tecademics will disappear.
So Piccolo has been running scam after scam for roughly 25years and the best they can get him on is tax fraud??… smh…
He ran so many scams that there was a point when even just his name mentioned in connection to any program was enough to make the players run the other way… 18 months is rediculous…
You’re thinking Phil Piccolo if I am not mistaken. Phil is known as the “one man Internet crime wave.” I do think James/Jim is related.
Philip is his middle name… you don’t think they are the same person??…
Phil Piccolo scattered after the SEC came down on Vista Network. Figure he counted his lucky stars he wasn’t included.
No, as Phil is older than Jim according to this picture. See Phil’s picture in the Vista Network article Oz did Phil has to be in his late 70’s or early 80’s. Jim is much younger.
Did he end up going to jail, Oz?
I typically don’t track incarceration beyond sentencing.
That said, BOP’s inmate search is showing an incarcerated James Philip Piccolo with a release date of April 1st, 2025.
I worked for Jim at Nouveau riche which is the same structure as ALL of his MLM schemes.
He would make up false people to change Officers of his companies he does have 1 brother name John that did work with us but was NOT involved in Jims schemes.
Jim also had another scam artist named Mike Phillips that they would use Jims private Jet to run illegal drugs that was seen on a regular basis.
It’s amazing that inly tac evasion is all they have on Jim.
**A Personal Perspective on Jim Piccolo**
I came across this post about Jim Piccolo and felt compelled to share my experiences with him. The negativity and hate expressed are shocking, and seeing the timestamps on some of these comments—3:19 AM and 4:29 AM—makes me feel sorry for those who spend their nights spewing such bitterness.
I worked closely with Jim Piccolo for over a decade, and I can confidently say he’s one of the kindest and most generous individuals I’ve ever known. I witnessed firsthand how he treated people—with respect, compassion, and unwavering support.
He consistently gave his time and money to help those in need. I stood beside him as he inspired many to contribute to the Starlight Foundation, building “fun centers” for terminally ill children.
He supported at-risk youth by helping establish teen centers and worked with organizations like Fight Night to combat cognitive degeneration conditions. These weren’t isolated events—they were a reflection of who he is.
At Nouveau Riche, where I worked under Jim’s leadership, turnover was almost nonexistent—a testament to the loyalty and satisfaction of his team. Jim was the hardest-working person there, leading by example and inspiring us all. Yes, he earned a good living, but those of us who knew him personally saw the real man behind the success. He was someone who genuinely cared.
When I faced hard times due to a sick family member, Jim stepped in personally. He had his CFO write a check to my landlord to ensure I didn’t lose my home. He gave generous Christmas bonuses and hosted celebrations for underprivileged children.
I’ll never forget the time a Santa Claus we hired called in sick. Jim rushed to a costume shop, rented a suit, and spent hours as Santa, handing out gifts and bringing joy to hundreds of kids.
There are countless stories like these that I could share. When the 2008 recession hit and our real estate education company collapsed, Jim had to let me go. We both cried that day.
It wasn’t just a job I was leaving—it was a family. I’ve never had a boss as inspiring or supportive as Jim Piccolo, and my only regret is not getting to work with him longer.
Some have called Jim a scammer. To those people, I say shame on you. Was he perfect? No—none of us are. Were there business deals that didn’t work out? Absolutely. But as Jim always said, “Never, ever, ever give up.” His resilience and optimism were infectious.
As for the mention of Phil Piccolo, let me clarify that he has no relation to Jim. This question came up before, and Jim always responded, “No relation.” Jim did have a younger brother, John, who worked with us in the early days and was a kind person.
Jim was protective of him and always reminded us to respect his privacy. Regarding the rumors about Mike Phillips allegedly using Jim’s private jet to sell drugs, that is absolutely the most absurd claim I’ve ever heard. How could anyone even make such an allegation?
I knew Mike personally, and while it’s true he enjoyed partying, I was never aware of any drug issues. If such a problem existed, it certainly wasn’t common knowledge among the team.
As for Jim, there’s no way he could have achieved all that he did if he were involved in drugs. Frankly, I call this claim baseless and unfounded.
I understand that sharing this may invite criticism, but I don’t care. I stand by the truth of my experiences.
If anyone has concrete details to challenge me, I welcome the conversation. Jim Piccolo was the best boss I ever had, and I’ll always be grateful for the time I spent working with him.
As for the issue of payroll taxes, I don’t know the specifics. But before judging, perhaps we should all take a moment to reflect on our own lives and focus on spreading positivity rather than hate. The world could use more kindness.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. God bless.
Sums it up really. I’m sure Jim was a great guy in your life but that doesn’t change him going to prison for tax fraud. Specifically for stealing tax revenue Jim was withholding from his employees.