California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed 31 felony charges against US Framing West and two company officials for alleged wage theft and tax evasion totaling $2.6 million across multiple counties.
The criminal complaint, filed on August 26, names company officials Thomas Gregory English and Amelia Frazier Krebs as defendants. The charges stem from operations between 2018-2022, during which the construction firm allegedly underpaid workers and evaded state payroll taxes.
According to the Attorney General's office, US Framing West hired unlicensed subcontractors and underreported its payroll to state authorities. The company is accused of stealing at least $40,000 from workers by failing to pay prevailing wages on a public housing project in Cathedral City called Veterans Village.
The investigation began after the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council reported potential wage violations at an Oakland construction site in 2019. This led authorities to examine the company's projects across eight counties, including Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
The charges include grand theft, payroll tax evasion, and filing false documents. The company allegedly evaded over $2.5 million in state payroll taxes and failed to withhold personal income tax and premiums for state unemployment and disability insurance.
The complaint specifically identifies 19 workers in Riverside County who were victims of wage theft in 2021 and 2022. Under California law, employers face grand theft charges for stealing more than $950 from one employee or $2,350 from two or more employees within a year.
Both named defendants have surrendered and were arraigned this month. If convicted, they could face substantial penalties and jail time.
The case highlights a broader issue in California, where workers lose approximately $2 billion annually to wage theft, with low-wage industries being particularly vulnerable. In recent years, workers have filed claims for over $300 million in stolen wages annually.
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