Former Business Owner Faces 50 Years in Prison for Unpaid Employee Taxes
By Clementine Matzky
Thu, October 15, 2026
A former Traverse City business owner could face up to 50 years in prison and a total fine of $2.5 million after allegedly failing to pay over $47,000 in employee taxes.
The Indictment
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Christopher Robin Roehler, 65, was responsible for collecting and paying employment taxes at Rolling Farms Café but willfully failed to do so on 10 occasions between September 2020 and December 2022.
If convicted on all counts, Roehler faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count, in addition to the costs of prosecution.
National Initiative
The indictment is part of a nationwide effort targeting tax fraud, emphasized the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Failing to collect, account for, or pay over employment taxes is a felony offense.