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Charges Against Subcontractors at The Banks

(La Porte, IN) - Two construction company owners are being nailed for alleged under-the-table labor practices in La Porte.

 

Adeeb Kupty and Fadi Kupty are owners of Pro Paint and Finish, LLC and Drywall Hanging Services, LLC from Goshen. They’re facing felony allegations that include hiring employees without checking for documentation and failing to pay the prevailing wage for drywall work. Authorities said they also paid groups of workers with just one check without taking out payroll taxes.

 

The subcontractors are involved in constructing The Banks, the resort-type apartments going up near Clear Lake.

 

Mayor Tom Dermody condemned such practices, saying they hurt the local economy and cost the state hundreds of millions in tax revenue. State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores vowed to work on legislation that calls for creating a task force to catch more companies engaging in such illegal practices.

 

“What we’re expecting these folks to do is come in on a tax-advantaged project, pay taxes, hire local, and that feeds into our local economy. When we have folks coming in from out of state where they getting paid on a check or cash, it’s just not what the spirit of development is about,” Bohacek said.

Other charges filed against the Kuptys include money laundering, obstruction of justice, and corrupt business influence.

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