South Bay Flooring Company Owner Withheld $1M In Wages: DA

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — A South Bay flooring company owner was charged with fraud after withholding close to $1 million in overtime pay and lying about the number of employees he had, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

In a news release on Tuesday, prosecutors announced 20 felony counts against Martin Helda, the 33-year-old owner of San Jose-based All Bay Area Floors, with charges of Workers Compensation Premium fraud, Employment Development Department fraud and wage theft.

According to the district attorney’s office, Helda withheld at least $900,000, and possibly as much as $1.7 million, in overtime wages. Investigators also discovered through an insurance audit that “Helda’s payroll did not match the number of people he had working for him,” the news release stated.

“Greedy business owners are banking that cheated employees won’t come forward,” said Vonda Tracey, a prosecutor with the district attorney’s office. “These workers did the work. They are owed the pay.”

Authorities are looking for workers who may have been affected and eligible for compensation.

Anyone with information should contact DA Investigator Lt. Michael Whittington at (408) 808-3742 or mwhittington@dao.sccgov.org.