A Texas construction biz honcho, Timothy Gaines Pollard, has been slapped with a 16-count indictment for apparently playing fast and loose with Uncle Sam's dough. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced that Pollard is accused of stiffing the government by not coughing up employment taxes collected from his workers.
The Kingsville contractor, who heads up Tim Pollard Construction, didn't just pocket the payroll taxes – which includes federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes – he also allegedly lined his own pockets with company funds, all while his employees' contributions went unpaid, the feds claim. According to a justice department press release, Pollard's tab with the IRS is more than $400,000.
Hauled in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton, Pollard could now face a stretch of up to five years in the federal pen per count, and a fine that could swell to $250,000 for each one of the indictment's counts, the indictment stated. The IRS Criminal Investigation team unraveled the financial mess, with Assistant United States Attorney John Marck leading the prosecution on the ground.
This isn't just a case of shoddy bookkeeping; it's a full-blown tax dodge, according to prosecutors. Pollard allegedly had total control over the business accounts and made deliberate choices on what expenses to pay, and, apparently, the IRS wasn't high on that list. In Pollard's case, justice might not only be knocking on his door – it may well be looking to bulldoze it down if he's found guilty.
