COLUMBUS, Ohio — Robert E. Porter, 53, of Westerville, Ohio, pleaded guilty to filing a false income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service, capping a years-long scheme to funnel company revenue into his personal pockets. Porter now faces a maximum of three years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Porter, former Vice President of both Porter Drywall and Black Star Drywall, Inc., used his dual role as executive and jobsite supervisor to reroute customer payments directly into his personal bank account. Between 2009 and 2013, he oversaw estimates, assigned crews, and managed contracts for drywall installation across Central Ohio — all while stripping profits from completed jobs that were fully funded by company resources.
According to court records, Porter executed what investigators call a ‘diverted income’ scheme: Porter Drywall covered all labor and material costs on specific projects, but every dollar in customer payments went straight to Porter’s private accounts. The company bore the expenses; Porter kept the revenue. No taxes were paid on these illicit gains.
‘Income tax fraud is not a victimless crime,’ said Troy N. Stemen, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Cincinnati Field Office. ‘Individuals who corruptly violate the law to further their business interests and intentionally evade paying their fair share of taxes undermine public confidence in our tax system and unfairly disadvantage businesses that play by the rules.’
As part of his plea agreement, Porter has committed to ensuring Porter Drywall complies with all federal tax and immigration reporting requirements moving forward — a stipulation signaling deeper systemic failures within the company’s operations. Investigators found widespread noncompliance during the probe, including unreported worker classifications and missing payroll filings.
The case was investigated by the IRS, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Brown is prosecuting. U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman praised the multi-agency effort, calling it a clear message: ‘Those who exploit their positions for personal gain will be held accountable.’
RELATED: Drywall CFO Admits to $120K Tax Fraud
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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