NJ construction company owner admits dodging $1.3M in taxes

A 49-year-old Middlesex County man admitted evading over a million dollars in taxes through a check cashing scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced Tuesday.

Alain Rodrigues, of Old Bridge, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court on Thursday, to one count each of tax evasion and failure to collect and pay over taxes.

Rodrigues owned and operated a construction company in Old Bridge and Newark.

Between 2017 and 2020, he deposited only some payments from customers into a business bank account.

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Rodrigues then used the rest to pay his employees in cash, “under the table,” while converting some to money orders deposited into a personal account.

He only reported the construction company’s revenue deposited in the business bank account — leaving the rest off the books.

In total, Rodrigues and his company paid $554,873 less than owed in income taxes.

He also failed to collect and pay over $793,139 in employment taxes, for a total of about $1.35 million.

As part of his plea agreement, Rodrigues agreed to pay the full amount owed the IRS and to file amended tax returns.

Sentencing was set for Dec. 19, at which point he would face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, for each count.

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