Orlando car dealership owner accused of banking $10M, not paying taxes

ORLANDO, Fla. — The owner of an Orange County car dealership New Car Alternative of Orlando is in hot water with the state after being accused of stealing your tax dollars.

Channel 9's Jeff Deal learned 68-year-old Wayne Velin was arrested after investigators said he failed to pay tens of thousands in taxes even after depositing millions of dollars into the bank.

An employee of Velin's told Deal on Wednesday his boss hadn’t been to the dealership for a few days.

Velin was arrested after state investigators with the Department of Revenue said Velin sold cars from 2009-2012 and collected $41,000 in sales tax from customers but only gave about $17,000 of the money to the state when he was supposed to send taxes he collected each month.

"Any idea why he was wasn't paying the sales tax?" Deal asked employee Ron Williams.

"It's his personal business," said Williams. "He don't ever tell me no business like that, you know."

According to investigators, during that same time period, Velin deposited more than $10 million into the business account.

Investigators said they asked Velin for the paperwork on all of his transactions over the three years and he told them his roof caved in recently and his documents got mildewed so he threw them away.

Velin is now facing charges for grand theft and theft of state funds.

The Department of Revenue said Velin owes more than $40,000, including late fees and interest. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on both felony charges.

New Car Alternative of Florida Inc. was not named in the affidavit, but rather New Car Alternative of Orlando. Velin owns the property Channel 9 investigated.

WFTV