FBI got tax records last year for Tallahassee City Commissioner Maddox-related firms
A federal grand jury last year demanded the state of Florida hand over tax filings of companies connected to Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox, his longtime friend and business partner Paige Carter-Smith and other figures in the FBI’s long-running investigation into public corruption.
The grand jury issued two subpoenas, in June and October, asking the Florida Department of Revenue to produce sales and use tax returns and unemployment tax reports dating back to 2011. The Tallahassee Democrat obtained copies of the subpoenas in March through a public records request of the state agency.
The subpoenas name many of the same individuals and companies listed in subpoenas that dropped on City Hall last year and brought to light the FBI investigation. However, the October subpoena to FDOR marks the first time the name of one business, The Big Production, has surfaced in connection with the probe. The company, owned by Carter-Smith, served for years as Maddox’s in-house campaign advertising firm.
The first subpoena, dated June 19, asked for tax records involving more than a dozen corporate entities founded or controlled by several prominent local business people, including developer John “J.T.” Burnette, his former business partner Chad Kittrell and others involved in a failed solar sausage project.
Read more: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/fbi/2018/05/07/fbi-got-tax-records-last-year-maddox-related-firms/578751002/