Federal investigators are asking truck drivers across the country to come forward as potential victims in a fraud case centered on a Georgia tax preparer whose client base grew largely through referrals inside the trucking industry.
A federal grand jury returned a 54-count indictment against Diane Marie Poe, 62, who owns Genuine Financial Services in Walton County, Georgia. The August 12 filing includes 32 bank fraud counts and 14 payroll-related tax offenses, with additional counts covering corporate returns, false submissions, and theft from a government program. Prosecutors say at least 26 people were affected, most of them self-employed truck drivers who used the firm for bookkeeping, payroll management, and tax filing.
According to the indictment, customers gave the company money intended for estimated tax obligations and employee-related assessments, and those funds were kept rather than forwarded. Investigators also allege Poe failed to file required returns for her own business and withheld employee payroll taxes without remitting them. The accusations remain unproven unless the government establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Each bank fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 30 years. Theft from a federal program allows up to 10 years per count, and the remaining violations carry maximums ranging from one year to five years. The federal system does not offer parole. No date has been announced for an initial court appearance.
The FBI Atlanta field office is asking anyone who hired Poe or used Genuine Financial Services to call 770-216-3000, particularly customers who suspect missing deposits or unfinished filings. The IRS and the Loganville Police Department assisted with the investigation.
Source: FreightWaves - https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fbi-seeks-truck-drivers-nationwide-who-may-be-victims-in-54-count-tax-fraud-case