Charleston Man Indicted for Allegedly Failing to Report and File Employment Taxes

An indictment returned by a federal grand jury charges Jay Fisher of Charleston with 21 counts of tax fraud, for allegedly failing to report and pay federal employment taxes and personal income taxes. Fisher is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in federal court on April 19 at 10:30 a.m. The court hearing will take place in Urbana, via videoconference, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long.

According to the indictment, Jay Fisher was responsible for the business of Financial Logic Inc., and, as such, was obligated to file a Form 941 and remit employment taxes for his employees. Employment taxes are comprised of federal income tax, social security, and Medicare taxes. The indictment alleges that between 2015 and 2018, Fisher failed to pay more than $300,000 in employment taxes. The indictment also alleges that, between 2014 and 2018, Fisher failed to file and pay his individual income taxes.

The IRS Criminal Investigation Division investigated the charges with assistance from the Illinois Department of Revenue. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Moody is representing the government in the prosecution

The maximum penalty for each of the sixteen counts of failure to pay employment tax is five years in prison, up to $10,000 in fines, or both. The maximum penalty for each of the five counts of failure to pay individual income tax is up to one year in prison, up to $25,000 in fines, or both.