A Rowan County business owner is facing serious charges after the North Carolina Department of Revenue accused her of a hefty tax embezzlement scheme. Melissa Anne Fleming, a 62-year-old from Cleveland, NC, was arrested last Friday on allegations of embezzling over $100,000 in sales tax, the Department of Revenue disclosed in a recent press release.
Specifically, Fleming is charged with one count of Embezzlement of State Property. The indictments spell out that from the start of 2015 to May of 2024, Fleming, acting in her capacity at Island Machining, LLC, helped the company to siphon, misapply, and redirect approximately $123,756.53 in sales tax owed to both the state and Rowan County. Fleming, as the responsible person of the LLC, held the obligation to collect, safeguard, and pass on North Carolina Sales Tax to the state's revenue department.
Following her arrest, Fleming appeared before a Wake County magistrate and was subsequently released on a $100,000 unsecured bond. Her first court appearance took place yesterday in Wake County Superior Court in Raleigh. If proven, the allegations represent a significant breach of trust and legal duty in the administration of state tax compliance.
According to the Department of Revenue, the charges are the fruits of a detailed investigation conducted by its Criminal Investigations Division in Raleigh. The department's commitment to enforcing tax laws is underscored, by such actions, as they seek to ensure that all businesses operate on a level playing field.
