Federal Court Bars Texas Man and His Corporations from Pyramiding Employment Taxes

DALLAS – A federal court Tuesday issued a memorandum opinion and a preliminary injunction against Arthur Piner Grider, III; Asgard Avionics Corp. of Florida; and 14 other corporate defendants who operate as employee leasing companies, from violating the Internal Revenue Code, the Justice Department announced today. Court papers allege that the defendants cumulatively owe more than $100 million in unpaid payroll and unemployment taxes. Under the injunction, the defendants must timely deposit employment taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), timely file all federal tax forms, and timely pay their federal tax liabilities.

The defendants are a enjoined from paying other creditors or themselves before paying their current federal employment tax liabilities. In addition, they must provide tax deposit information to a IRS revenue officer as set forth in the injunction. The order also requires that the defendants notify the IRS in writing if they begin operating any new business. The injunction is effective immediately.

The government’s complaint alleges that Grider and his entities have a long history of pyramiding employment taxes and details the magnitude of the amounts owed – $76 million for the entities and $25 million for Grider. The complaint further alleges that defendants’ non-compliance with employment tax laws has continued through the first quarter of 2010.