Truck drivers targeted in alleged tax fraud scheme
On August 13, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Diane Marie Poe, 62, on 54 counts related to a tax fraud scheme targeting at least 26 clients, most of whom were independent truck drivers. Poe operated the accounting and tax preparation firm Genuine Financial Solutions and is accused of collecting service fees without fulfilling filing obligations and withholding payroll and trust taxes owed to the IRS. The list of involved companies has been released, and the FBI and IRS urge affected victims to contact the Atlanta office.
A federal grand jury indicted Diane Marie Poe, 62, of Loganville, Georgia, on 54 counts tied to an alleged scheme against at least 26 clients, most of them self-employed truck drivers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia announced on Aug. 13.
Poe owns Genuine Financial Solutions, an accounting and tax preparation firm that handled bookkeeping, payroll and filings, according to the indictment. Prosecutors allege Poe took payments for tax and filing services she never executed and pocketed estimated payroll and trust fund taxes instead of remitting them to the IRS. She is also accused of failing to properly file her own personal and business returns and failing to pay payroll taxes for her own employees.
Trucking businesses named in the case include:
- Anderson Transport
- JJC Transport
- Cheval-Vapeur Transportation
- Holifield Express
- Marquez Transport
- Strong Enterprise
- RGA7 Trucking
- RCD Trucking
- Esparza & Son
- Chaos International
- A&R Express
- T.R., a truck driver for Schneider
- Two Bears Trucking
- Dixie Line
- Southern Boom and Truck Repair
- We Run It
- Salty Dog Logistics
- C Bear Transport
- 4B Trucking
- Stealth Transportation Express
- Raaji Enterprises
- Simay Family Enterprises
- R&S Express
- Kerried Away Transportation
- Think Fenix
The FBI and IRS are asking anyone who hired Poe or used Genuine Financial Services to call FBI Atlanta at 770-216-3000, noting that her business gained traction within the trucking industry via word of mouth.
Poe faces 32 counts of bank fraud, 14 counts of failure to account for and pay over withholding and FICA taxes, four counts of failure to file a corporate tax return, two counts of making and subscribing a false return and two counts of federal program theft.
An indictment is an allegation, not a conviction, and Poe is presumed innocent. However, if convicted, she will forfeit any property or proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of the bank fraud and federal program theft, in addition to facing prison time. Each count of bank fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years, federal program theft up to 10, failure to pay taxes up to five, a false return up to three and a missed corporate return up to one year imprisonment.