Pay the Tax Man Or Go Straight To Jail

Liquor-by-the-drink licensees feel the double whammy pain of 15% liquor taxes and 9%+ sales taxes every month when taxes come due. For some, the temptation not to honestly report sales is tempting.

Recent Tennessee Department of Revenue activity is a reminder that paying taxes is a priority. Failure to pay the tax man is a crime.

Anthony Campbell, owner of Tony’s Bar & Grill in Memphis, Tennessee, learned the hard way. Campbell was sentenced to one count of Sales Tax Fraud, a Class E felony, and one count of Theft of Property Over $10,000, a Class C felony. Campbell was placed on five years of probation and was ordered to pay full restitution to the Tennessee Department of Revenue in the amount of $15,860.19.

This disqualifies Campbell from owning or working in the liquor industry.

Likewise William (Curtis) Givens, Jr., an employee of Silver Spoon Restaurant & Lounge in Memphis pled guilty to one count of falsifying tax returns, a Class E felony, and one count of Theft of Property Over $10,000, a Class C felony. Givens was ordered to pay $37,517.86 and faces 5 years in jail if he fails to follow his sentence, which includes educating business owners about the consequences of violating state sales tax laws.

Don't mess with the tax man.