Payroll Comp. Owners Indicted For Theft Of $2.5 Mil
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A couple formerly of Bel Air that owned a payroll company have been indicted on charges of stealing their money from their clients and the IRS.
Beverly Carden, 53, and her husband Kevin Carden, 54, alleged took $2.5 million dollars from their clients that was initially set aside to pay federal and state taxes.
"The indictment alleges that the defendants falsely told clients that their money was being used to pay their taxes, when in fact the defendants were stealing it," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "Customers who hire payroll services companies expect that they will not have to worry, but this case is a reminder that people always need to be vigilant when they trust someone with their money."
The couple operated AccuPay, Inc. -- a payroll company service located at 206 E. Churchville Road in Bel Air -- where a part of their service was to complete their clients federal and state tax returns.
The 16-count indictment states that from March 2006 until March 2013, the defendants allegedly withdrew from clients' funds the full amount for taxes owed, but then only paid the IRS a portion of those funds.
In order to keep their scheme under wraps, Kevin allegedly changed the clients' addresses without their consent, so all correspondence from the IRS would come to AccuPay and not the clients' homes.
Beverly also affixed client signatures on IRS power of attorney forms without clients' permission.
The Cardens face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 20 years for each of three counts of mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud. They also face 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering and on each of three counts of money laundering; three years in prison on each of two counts for filing a false tax return and one year for failing to file a tax return.
The indictment seeks forfeiture of at least $2.5 million.
The Cardens are set to appear in a Florida court Thursday or Friday.
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