Former Dickson Business Owner Indicted on Theft and Tax Charges

DICKSON, Tenn. - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of Meng Xu Wang, former owner of Nori restaurant, in Dickson.  Revenue special agents arrested Wang, age 28, at his home yesterday. His bond was set at $30,000.

On Monday, the Dickson County Grand Jury indicted Wang on one count of theft over $10,000, 26 counts of false sales tax returns, and one count of sales tax evasion.  These charges stem from Wang causing the filing of false sales tax returns for his restaurant from March 2016 through April 2018.

“The Department of Revenue has always been committed to making sure Tennessee’s tax laws and procedures are applied uniformly to ensure fairness,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said.  “We can never allow individuals engaged in fraudulent tax activity to have a competitive advantage over honest Tennesseans.”

If convicted, Wang faces a maximum of six years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $10,000 for theft, two years and fined up to $3,000 for each count of false returns, and up to two years and fined $3,000 for tax evasion.

The department is pursuing the criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Ray Crouch’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, as well as the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2019 fiscal year, it collected $15.3 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

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