Post by Logan on May 14, 2016 5:45:38 GMT -6
Prominent chef Tony Hu charged with underreporting cash receipts
Prominent chef Tony Hu, nicknamed "mayor of Chinatown" for his business and political prowess, was charged Friday in federal court with hiding cash receipts to substantially lower what he paid in state sales taxes.
Hu, who has owned numerous Chinese restaurants in Chicago and the suburbs, used the cash he saved in the alleged scheme to pay for personal expenses, according to the charges.
Court records obtained by the Tribune show the federal investigation of Hu dates to at least mid-2012 when authorities won court authorization to intercept and search messages on an email address connected to Hu's business. The probe became public in October 2014 when FBI and IRS agents raided eight of Hu's restaurants in Chicago and a ninth in suburban Downers Grove. The restaurants had to be shuttered for several hours as agents carted out boxes of records.
Hu, 48, whose real name is Hu Xiaojun, was charged with one felony count each of wire fraud and money laundering. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve's courtroom, court records show.
Read more: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chinese-restaurateur-charged-taxes-met-20160513-story.html
Prominent chef Tony Hu, nicknamed "mayor of Chinatown" for his business and political prowess, was charged Friday in federal court with hiding cash receipts to substantially lower what he paid in state sales taxes.
Hu, who has owned numerous Chinese restaurants in Chicago and the suburbs, used the cash he saved in the alleged scheme to pay for personal expenses, according to the charges.
Court records obtained by the Tribune show the federal investigation of Hu dates to at least mid-2012 when authorities won court authorization to intercept and search messages on an email address connected to Hu's business. The probe became public in October 2014 when FBI and IRS agents raided eight of Hu's restaurants in Chicago and a ninth in suburban Downers Grove. The restaurants had to be shuttered for several hours as agents carted out boxes of records.
Hu, 48, whose real name is Hu Xiaojun, was charged with one felony count each of wire fraud and money laundering. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve's courtroom, court records show.
Read more: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chinese-restaurateur-charged-taxes-met-20160513-story.html