The U.S. Department of Justice recently published news of an indictment, charging the owners of sixteen adult foster care homes located throughout Michigan with 60 counts of failing to account for and pay over employment taxes. The full press release tells us more.
According to the indictment, Jeremiah and Nicolette Cheff of Grand Blanc, Michigan, controlled the financial and business operations of 16 foster care homes, including Hunter’s Home, Nico’s Place, Harmony Manor, Hilltop Estates and Deerwood Manor, which cared for individuals with mental illnesses and developmental and physical disabilities. It is alleged that from September 2010 through September 2014, the Cheffs withheld payroll taxes from their employees’ paychecks, failed to timely file employment tax returns, and failed to pay over the funds they withheld to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
If convicted, the Cheffs face a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count charged in the indictment, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
In the event you are approached by an IRS agent inquiring about the withholding of employee taxes, failure to file, or about any other aspect of taxation of your business, you should speak with an experienced criminal tax lawyer at Robert J. Fedor Esq., LLC. In that way, your rights will be protected and you can begin the process of resolving outstanding income tax problems with the IRS.
