SC Sports Bar Owner Arrested, $43,000 in Taxes Due
Thursday, June 22nd, 2017
The owner of End Zone Bar and Grill in Greenville was arrested by South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) investigators for five counts of tax evasion. Rodney Atkins, owner, filed fraudulent sales tax returns that understated the business' actual gross proceeds resulting in more than $43,000 in taxes due to South Carolina.
On the business' sales tax returns from January 2012 to September 2016, Atkins reported a total of $165,327 in gross proceeds. However, the SCDOR investigation revealed actual gross proceeds totaling $892,319 for that same period. Due to his fraudulent reporting, Atkins evaded $43,620 in sales tax.
The 6% state sales tax helps fund education efforts in South Carolina. Businesses collect the tax when shoppers check out, and the money is then turned over to the SCDOR.
Atkins is currently being held at the Greenville County Detention Center. If convicted, he faces fines up to $10,000 and/or up to five years in prison per charge.
The SCDOR is committed to the fair administration of tax laws. By taking enforcement action against noncompliant taxpayers, the Department seeks to prevent unfairly increasing the tax burden on those who do comply.