A former business owner has been charged with employment tax crimes by a federal grand jury. Mari Ross-Alexander, who previously owned and led Ross Behavioral Group in Tennessee, faces eleven counts of willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). According to court documents, between 2011 and 2023, Ross-Alexander managed the financial operations of the mental health counseling center, which had several locations in middle Tennessee. She was tasked with withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from the employees’ wages and remitting them to the IRS.
However, authorities allege that from 2015 to 2020, Ross-Alexander did not fully transfer the withheld taxes to the IRS. During this period, she reportedly issued W-2 tax forms and paystubs to employees, suggesting that taxes had been deducted and paid. This action allegedly resulted in a tax loss of over $1 million to the IRS.
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If found guilty on all charges, Ross-Alexander could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, along with supervised release, restitution, and financial penalties. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation with support from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell T. Galloway and Trial Attorney Ashley J. Stein are prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that an indictment constitutes an allegation, and the defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Read Original Release