April 10, 2015

New Orleans Restaurant Owner Charged with Wire Fraud and Failing to Pay Over Taxes

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JASON C. DOYLE, age 38, of New Orleans, was charged today in a Bill of Information with one count of Wire Fraud and one count of Failing to Pay Over Taxes.

According to documents filed in federal court, DOYLE operated, controlled, marketed and sold several restaurant franchises to willing investors. From 2010 through 2014, DOYLE defrauded three investors who paid him monies for a restaurant franchise. DOYLE defrauded the investors of monies totaling in excess of $888,000. These investor monies were paid to DOYLE with the understanding that DOYLEwould furnish them with either a restaurant or the equipment and essentials necessary to open a restaurant establishment. Instead of using the investor funds to complete the promised restaurant project, DOYLE fraudulently diverted the monies for his own personal use.

In 2010, DOYLE also deducted federal taxes from his employees’ wages. However, he failed to pay over the collected employee taxes to the Department of Treasury, in violation of federal tax law. The taxes due and owing to the Department of Treasury exceed $105,000.

The maximum penalty for wire fraud is twenty years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim. The maximum penalty for failing to pay over taxes is five years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys, Richard R. Pickens, II and Andre J. Lagarde are in charge of the prosecution.