Jacksonville Tax Fraud Lawyers

Jacksonville Tax Fraud Lawyers: When Roofing Companies Steal From Their Own Crews

Brandon and David Slaughter ran a roofing company in Jacksonville. From 2017 to 2020, they withheld federal taxes from employee paychecks – Social Security, Medicare, federal income tax. The deductions appeared on pay stubs. Employees expected that money to reach the IRS.

It never did. The Slaughter brothers kept the withholding and spent it on personal expenses. Their employees thought their taxes were being paid. They weren’t. When federal prosecutors caught up with them, Brandon got 41 months in prison. David got 21 months. Combined restitution: $6.7 million.

The Roofing Company That Stole From Its Own Crew

Heres exactly what the Slaughter brothers did. Every pay period from 2017 through 2020, they withheld taxes from employee wages. The math appeared correct on paystubs. But the money never went were it was supposed to go – it stayed in there pockets.

Think about what that means for the Slaughter brothers’ employees. They worked roofing jobs – hard physical labor in Jacksonville heat. They earned there paychecks. They expected there employer to handle tax withholding properly. Instead, there employer was stealing from them every single pay period for nearly four years.

The IRS calls this “trust fund taxes” becuase employers hold the money in trust for the government. Taking that money is theft twice over – once from the government, once from your own employees.

$6.7 Million In Restitution That Never Goes Away

The prison sentences hurt. But the restitution order might be worse. The Slaughter brothers were ordered to pay $6.7 million in restitution. That debt dosent disappear after prison.

Federal restitution survives bankruptcy. It attaches to future earnings. It accrues interest. For the rest of there lives, the Slaughter brothers will owe money from this fraud.

The Tax Preparers Who Got Decades

Three owners of a Jacksonville tax preparation business pleaded guilty to preparing fraudulent tax returns. The sentences: 121 months for one owner – over ten years in federal prison. 84 months for another. 36 months for the third.

Heres why tax preparer fraud gets such harsh sentences. Every fraudulent return is a separate crime. File a thousand false returns, your facing a thousand potential counts.

And heres what catches those clients off guard. When the IRS investigates a tax preparer, they examine every return that preparer filed. Thousands of returns get flagged. The refunds they recieved based on false claims get clawed back with penalties and interest.

When Your CEO Commits Tax Fraud

Jason Cory was a Jacksonville CEO. He pleaded guilty to tax and COVID relief fraud. The sentence: 32 months in federal prison.

Heres the inversion that professionals dont understand. Your expertise isnt a defense – its evidence of willfulness. When a CEO commits tax fraud, prosecutors can easily prove he knew what he was doing.

$10.3 Million In Hidden Income

Phillip Mak had income of more then $10.3 million. He reported only a fraction of it to the IRS. The gap between what he earned and what he reported was massive.

Nobody accidentaly fails to report ten million dollars in income. The consequences extend beyond prison – restitution for all the taxes evaded, plus penalties, plus interest.

Florida Has No Income Tax – But Federal Prison Is Real

Jacksonville sits in a state with no income tax. This creates false confidence that traps people constantly. They think no state income tax means reduced tax enforcement. There wrong.

Federal prosecution fills every gap. The US Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida has full resources dedicated to tax fraud. Federal prosecutors maintain that 90%+ conviction rate with sentences measured in years.

Florida does have sales tax, and the Florida Department of Revenue pursues sales tax fraud. But for income tax fraud, its entirely federal. The Slaughter brothers learned this. The Neighborhood Advance owners learned this. Everyone who assumes Florida’s tax environment is more relaxed learns it eventually.

The Middle District’s Approach To Major Fraud

The Middle District of Florida covers Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and surrounding areas. Its one of the busiest federal districts in the country. IRS Criminal Investigation gathers evidence for months or years before referring cases.

The sentences are real. Brandon Slaughter got 41 months. The Neighborhood Advance owner got 121 months. Jason Cory got 32 months. These arent theoretical maximums.

Defense Strategy In Jacksonville

If your facing tax fraud exposure in Jacksonville, the calculus involves understanding both Florida’s unique tax environment and how the Middle District operates.

The Slaughter case shows what happens with employment tax fraud – combined 62 months of prison time and $6.7 million in restitution. The Neighborhood Advance case shows how tax preparer fraud gets treated – over a decade in prison. The Cory case shows how professional backgrounds make prosecution easier.

The time to address tax fraud exposure is before any of that happens. Voluntary disclosure programs exist. Coming forward before the IRS finds you creates opportunities to resolve issues civily – with penalties and interest, but potentialy without prison.

If theres tax fraud exposure in your situation – unreported income, employment taxes not properly paid, returns prepared by someone now under investigation – the time to address it is before anyone starts looking. Appeals go to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Your exposure persists untill you address it.