Albuquerque Contractor Joseph Dubois Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion, Fraud

Joseph Dubois, 37, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty last week to federal tax evasion and presenting a fictitious surety bond, admitting he siphoned hundreds of thousands in corporate funds to dodge tax authorities and forged documents to win government contracts. The plea, entered Feb. 8, 2017, exposes a calculated scheme to defraud the IRS and a tribal school board, according to court records.

Dubois, owner and operator of Regency Development Group (RDG), a now-defunct Albuquerque construction contractor, admitted to evading $237,251 in federal employment taxes for tax years 2010 through 2012. Between November 2011 and October 2013, he opened a hidden bank account to divert company revenue, conceal assets, and undermine IRS collection efforts, directly violating federal tax laws.

As part of his guilty plea, Dubois acknowledged underreporting income and gross receipts to the IRS while actively dissipating RDG’s assets. This financial shell game allowed him to operate under the radar as tax liens piled up—liens he deliberately circumvented through deception and concealment, investigators say.

The fraud extended beyond tax dodging. In December 2011, RDG secured contracts with the Ramah Navajo School Board to renovate a building at Pine Hill School—contracts that required a valid surety bond. On Feb. 10, 2012, Dubois forged a bond that falsely appeared issued under the authority of Western Surety Company, presenting it as legitimate financial backing.

Federal authorities called the document a materially false instrument, designed to mislead and secure public funds under false pretenses. The use of a fictitious bond not only breached contractual obligations but also endangered taxpayer-backed tribal infrastructure projects, law enforcement officials said.

Dubois now faces a statutory maximum of 25 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of the Interior’s Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Pena. U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr., and DOI-OIG’s David A. House confirmed the plea. Sentencing is pending.