A Georgia co-owner of multiple bars and a restaurant pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
Eugene R. Britt III, 52, of Milledgeville, Ga., faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to an Oct. 19 Department of Justice news release. Britt, also known as Trey Britt, admitted to his part in a cash skimming operation at the establishments he co-owns and during a music festival in 2015, among other things.
"Law-abiding Americans dutifully pay their taxes with the expectation that others will similarly follow the law," U.S. Attorney David H. Estes said in the release. "Those who concoct schemes to avoid paying taxes for self-enrichment not only violate the law, but place a greater burden on all other taxpayers."
Britt allegedly evaded paying taxes on income from bars and a restaurant he and others owned near college campuses in Georgia, the release reported. He and the other co-owners allegedly disguised their ownership in the bars and restaurant by listing them on paper as being owned by a one person. All the co-owners then allegedly shared the profits by skimming cash.
Britt's part in the scheme caused a tax loss of more than $535,000, according to the news release. Britt admitted to skimming cash and not reporting it on his tax returns for about 20 years.
"Tax evasion is not a victimless crime," IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey said in the news release. "We all pay when others cheat our tax system. Tax evasion with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, did not go undetected. Today's plea demonstrates our collective efforts to enforce the law and ensure public trust in our tax system."
