Nashville Businessman Pleads Guilty to Sales Tax Evasion and Theft of Property
Friday, November 14, 2008 | 09:06am
NASHVILLE -The Tennessee Department of Revenue’s Special Investigations Section conducted the investigation that led to the guilty plea of Ahmad T. Wahidi on Nov. 13, 2008. Wahidi, 37, owner and manager of J. T. Liquors, L.P., pled guilty to five counts sales tax evasion and theft, and was ordered to pay $31,364.22 in restitution to the state for unpaid sales tax collected from Jan. 2002 through Aug. 2005. Wahidi was placed on two years probation for the tax evasion charges and one year probation for the theft charge.
“The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in fraudulent activity," said Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr. "This investigation underscores our department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."
This case was pursued criminally by the department in cooperation with Davidson County District Attorney General Victor S. Johnson’s office. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee's revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).
The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws established by the legislature and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department of Revenue collects approximately 92 percent of total state tax revenue. During the 2007-2008 fiscal year, the department collected $11.2 billion in state taxes and fees. In addition to collecting state taxes, $1.9 billion of local sales tax was collected by the department for local governments during the 2007-2008 fiscal year.Besides collecting taxes, the department enforces the revenue laws fairly and impartially in an effort to encourage voluntary taxpayer compliance. The department also apportions revenue collections for distribution to the various state funds and local units of government. To learn more about the department, log on to www.Tennessee.gov/revenue.
Related news: Sept. 11, 2007 – Former Liquor Store Owners Arrested on Sales Tax Evasion Charges (http://tennessee.gov/revenue/newsreleases/2007/samadiwahidiarrest.htm)