Convenience Store Owners Guilty of Theft

MEMPHIS - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to Yasser Sharhan, age 53, and Nabil Sharhan, age 43, pleading guilty yesterday to theft charges. The charges stem from the Sharhans’ failure to remit sales tax collected from customers at Saver Stop #1 and Saver Stop #3. 

In lieu of jail time, the Sharhans were placed on five years of supervised probation. 

Honorable Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett also ordered the Sharhans to pay $10,000 in restitution to the Department of Revenue prior to accepting their guilty pleas and the remaining $25,000 to the department in monthly payments.

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

The department pursued the criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Steven Mulroy’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 2022 fiscal year, it collected nearly $20.9 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $4.3 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.  To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

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