Knox County Businessman Pleads Guilty to Theft and Sales Tax Evasion Charges

KNOXVILLE -- The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to Thursday’s guilty plea of Mohammad Shahidul Islam. 

Islam, 42, owner of South Side Market, pled guilty in a Knox County Criminal Court to four counts of filing false sales tax returns, Class E felonies, and one count of theft of over $10,000, a Class C felony. Knox County Criminal Court Judge Scott Green accepted Islam’s guilty plea and sentenced Islam to six years supervised probation. He also ordered Islam to pay $28,798.58 in restitution.

“The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in fraudulent activity," Revenue Commissioner Richard Roberts said. "This investigation underscores the Department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."

The Department pursued the criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney General Charme Allen’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 and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2015 fiscal year, it collected $12.6 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.4 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.

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