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Barry Lee White, the owner of I-Barr Construction Inc. and operator of T-Line Construction LLC, was sentenced to nearly two years in prison and ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution after admitting to evading payroll taxes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

I-Barr Owner $2.5M Payroll Tax Evasion : A Costly Tax Scheme

White’s sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr., includes a 22-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release. Between 2015 and 2018, White withheld more than $1.8 million in employee payroll taxes but failed to remit the funds to the IRS, as legally required. Additionally, he neglected to pay over $600,000 in Social Security and federal unemployment taxes.

Impact on Taxpayers and Employees

"Employment tax evasion is not only theft from the government but also from American taxpayers," stated Demetrius Hardeman, a special agent with IRS Criminal Investigation. Hardeman noted that White’s failure to turn over payroll taxes could directly affect employees’ future Social Security and Medicare benefits.

White’s actions drew severe legal consequences, marking a significant breach of trust as employers are entrusted to handle these payments responsibly.

I-Barr Owner $2.5M Payroll Tax Evasion : The Scope of the Scheme

White’s indictment revealed that T-Line Construction LLC, registered under his wife’s name and operating out of Texas and Georgia, had around 100 employees. Despite this large workforce, White failed to make necessary quarterly tax payments, which led to the indictment in March 2023. The IRS uncovered his failure to pay during several years of business operations, particularly with I-Barr Construction, his Georgia-based trade name.

He pled guilty in April 2023 to failing to remit payroll taxes, specifically for a quarterly payment in 2017, admitting his oversight in the midst of managing a multi-state construction operation.

No Comment from Legal Teams

Neither the U.S. Attorney’s Office nor White’s legal representative, Frank G. Podesta of FGP Law, responded to requests for comment regarding the case. However, the government’s prosecution team, led by Angela Adams and Erin N. Spritzer, ensured that White faced justice for his years of evasion.