A Pinehurst, N.C., couple were indicted by a federal grand jury in Greensboro, N.C., Oct. 27, on charges of several tax offenses related to Sandhills Orthopedic and Spine Clinic, The Pilot reports.
James Rice, MD, and Susan Rice, owners of the Southern Pines, N.C.-based clinic, are accused of withholding $580,000 in collected taxes from the federal government. The couple allegedly collected federal income tax, Social Security contributions and Medicare payments from their employees, but hid the money from the government by diverting it to other businesses they run.
The couple is also accused of failing to file individual tax returns from 2014 to 2016, and Dr. Rice is accused of having failed to file corporate tax returns from 2014 to 2017 for a business he was president of.
The couple faces years of prison time and up to a $250,000 fine if convicted.