Two brothers who owned a Jacksonville roofing company have pleaded guilty to orchestrating a complex fraud scheme that cheated the IRS and workers’ compensation insurers out of millions of dollars.
Travis Morgan Slaughter and Tripp Charles Slaughter admitted to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. The charges stem from their operation of several roofing businesses, including Great White Construction, Florida Roofing Experts, and 5 Star Roofing Services.
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The brothers’ scheme involved using professional employer organizations (PEOs) to handle payroll for some employees while simultaneously paying other employees directly with separate checks. This “split check” system allowed them to avoid paying the full amount of payroll taxes owed to the IRS.
Furthermore, the Slaughters underreported their personal income to the IRS, resulting in substantial unpaid taxes. Between 2014 and 2019, Travis Slaughter failed to pay over $2.4 million in taxes, while Tripp Slaughter evaded over $263,000 in taxes between 2015 and 2019.
As part of their plea agreement, Travis Slaughter agreed to forfeit over $2.7 million and pay restitution exceeding $12 million to cover unpaid payroll taxes, workers’ compensation premiums, and claims. Tripp Slaughter agreed to forfeit over $416,000 and pay restitution of more than $1.2 million.
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The Slaughters each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the mail and wire fraud charges and 5 years for tax fraud. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
This case was investigated by multiple agencies, including the IRS, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It serves as a warning to businesses who attempt to defraud the government and exploit workers’ compensation systems.
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