OLD SAYBROOK, CT. (WFSB) – A federal grand jury has indicted an Old Saybrook business owner and a North Carolina man on tax fraud charges.
61-year-old Michael Meade of Old Saybrook and 70-year-old Chet Lee West of North Carolina face a 20-count indictment charging them with numerous tax fraud offenses.
The indictment alleges Meade has owned and operated Innovative Components LLC and subsequently Liquidlevel.com LLC, a Southington-based business engaged in the manufacturing and sale of liquid level float control mechanisms. He has a federal tax obligation of around $2.5 million for the years 2001 through 2010, 2012 and 2013, according to the indictment.
Since around 2016, he has attempted to evade payment in various ways, including withdrawing large amounts of cash and purchasing cashier’s checks from his business accounts and using the funds for personal expenditures, depositing company…
This involves defrauding the state or using government systems to steal from individuals.
- Tax Identity Theft: A criminal uses your ID and income details to file a tax return in your name and claim a refund before you do.
- Grant/Benefit Fraud: Falsely claiming unemployment, disability, or social grants that the perpetrator is not entitled to.