The operator of a Reading-based call center has been indicted on federal charges that he failed to pay more than $1 million in employment taxes.
Alan C. Redmond, 42, of Wyomissing faces six counts of failure to pay over employment taxes between 2019 and 2021 for Bene Market LLC, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced.
Bene Market purported to be a broker of insurance, selling health insurance and related products over the telephone, according to a release from Romero’s office.
According to the release:
Redmond was the 96% general partner of Bene Market and had final decision-making authority for the corporation. Redmond was legally obligated to withhold Social Security, Medicare and income taxes — known as trust fund taxes — from wages paid to employees and pay these taxes to the IRS each quarter along with matching contributions from the employer for Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Between 2019 and 2021, Redmond caused Bene Market to withhold more than $1 million in trust fund taxes from employees’ wages and paychecks but did not pay over these withheld amounts to the IRS on behalf of the employees.
Instead of turning over the withheld trust fund taxes, Redmond caused Bene Market to make thousands of dollars of expenditures for his personal benefit, including property purchases, airline tickets, limousine services, vehicle purchases, event tickets, mortgage payments and partnership distributions.
If convicted, he faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years of imprisonment, a three-year period of supervised release and a $1.5 million fine.
Redmond made his initial appearance in federal court on the charges Tuesday.
Source: Berkshire mont