A Berks County businessman has been indicted on charges of tax fraud for his alleged failure to pay over $1 million in employment taxes. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Alan C. Redmond of Wyomissing, owner of the call center Bene Market LLC, which operates in Reading, Pennsylvania, has been charged with six counts relating to the collection and payment of trust fund taxes withheld from employee wages.
Redmond, who made his initial appearance in federal court on these charges, is accused of not paying the IRS Social Security, Medicare and income taxes withheld from his employees between 2019 and 2021. Despite the legal obligation tied with his role as the 96% general partner, it is claimed that he spent these funds on personal luxuries instead. According to the indictment, these expenditures included property purchases and other lavish expenses.
As detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Redmond had both the authority and the responsibility to collect and remit employment taxes, a critical source of funding for federal programs that millions of Americans rely on. Instead, the indictment alleges Redmond used employee-tax funds for "property purchases, airline tickets, limousine services, vehicle purchases, event tickets, mortgage payments, and partnership distributions."
The implications of such actions are serious, with Redmond potentially facing up to 30 years' imprisonment if convicted on all charges. His expenditures come at the expense of the employees' trust and the requirements of a tax system that seeks fairness and compliance. The case follows an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and is in the hands of Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Crawley and Samuel Dalke for prosecution.
It is critical to note that an indictment is not an evidence of guilt; rather, it is a formal accusation. Alan C. Redmond is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The legal proceedings against Redmond will determine whether he neglected his responsibilities as an employer and defrauded the government and the American people.
