A married couple who owned multiple Austin-area restaurants has been charged with federal tax crimes, accused of reporting personal expenses — including a repair to their swimming pool— on their business tax returns.

An indictment that was unsealed Thursday in U.S. Western District Court accuses Michael Herman and his wife, Cynthia Herman, of depositing only a portion of their receipts into business bank accounts and reporting only those deposits on their tax returns.

The tax returns in question are from 2010 to 2012.

The Hermans owned three restaurants, all of which are now closed or under new ownership. They were: Cindy’s Downtown, and Hasler Brothers Steakhouse, both in Bastrop, and Cindy’s Gone Hog Wild, located east of Austin on Texas 71.

Their attorney, Richard Michael of Austin, did not immediately respond to a message.

The couple allegedly paid for personal expenses out of their business accounts, including a $1,108 pool repair, utilities for their home and the salary of a household employee. They reported those transactions as business expenses, the indictment says.

"The Hermans would and did cause tax deductions for business expenses to be overstated by paying various personal expenses with business funds, which they falsely categorized as business expenses," the indictment reads.

If convicted, they face up to five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud and three years each for six charges of filing a false document. Fines can reach $250,000.