An answer to the court complaint filed in the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas Civil Division against Trent Dye was not filed by the Feb. 20 deadline.

Dye, a former Washington Court House City Council member, allegedly defrauded his former employer of nearly $400,000 in a scheme. A civil complaint was filed against Dye Nov. 30 by his former employer, Paramount Freight Systems, LLC. Dye resigned from city council two weeks later.

Dye and his defense counsel had 28 days to respond to the Nov. 30 complaint by filing an answer in court.

An answer was not filed. Instead, before the end of that 28 days, Dye’s defense counsel filed a motion in December for a time extension to be able to respond to the complaint. Attorneys for Paramount agreed to a 30-day time extension to respond and answer the complaint, but Dye’s attorneys requested more time. The court granted a 45-day extension, to answer or otherwise plead, until no later than Feb. 20.

As of press time Feb. 22, no answer had been filed by Dye’s defense counsel.

Dye was an employee at Paramount in Jeffersonville where he worked as a general manager until he resigned Sept. 23 after the fraud allegations arose.

According to the nature of the complaint filed in court by Paramount’s counsel, Dye allegedly created invoices and sent payments to a bank account to pay referral fees to drivers who did not exist. Dye allegedly made the payments into a DW Recruiting Account, an account for which Dye was the account holder.

The complaint alleges Dye defrauded Paramount of nearly $400,000 over the course of three-and-a-half years. Paramount’s counsel is demanding recovery of the alleged payments made using fake invoices, punitive damages and attorney’s fees in the matter. According to the complaint, Dye has not repaid any of the money to Paramount.

The Record-Herald reached out to Dye Dec. 9 for comment but he could not be reached. Washington C.H. City Manager Joe Denen said that he had no information about Dye’s personal business and that the city has no connection to any of the companies that are mentioned in the complaint.

Paramount’s counsel filed motions Jan. 13 and Feb. 8 to subpoena the production of documents related to the case, including bank statements and any documents relating to payments, reimbursements and money transfers between Daniel Wilke, Dye, DW Recruiting, Paramount, and USAA Bank, the alleged bank where Dye held the DW Recruiting Account.