D.C. Nightclub Owner Found Guilty Of Bribing Tax Officials
Source: tanit boonruen / Getty
Davoud Jafari, a 72-year-old nightclub proprietor in Washington D.C., has been convicted on charges of bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud. His conviction stems from a lengthy scheme in which he paid former D.C. Tax Official Vincent Slater to evade substantial business tax payments totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Jafari’s sentencing is scheduled for January 25, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton.
Text “KYS” to 37890 To Join Our Text Club For Exclusives, Prizes + More!
The announcement of this verdict came from Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney, alongside Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General of D.C., and Glen Lee, Chief Financial Officer of D.C.
During the trial, it was revealed that Jafari owned Gevani, Inc., the company behind Zeba Bar and Grill in Columbia Heights. From October 2012 to December 2017, Jafari collected sales and use taxes from patrons at the establishment, amounting to 10 percent of the total expenses for food and beverages. Instead of submitting these taxes to the district every month as required, Jafari wrote a check to his co-defendant, Anthony Merritt, covering only half of the owed taxes.
ALSO SEE: LOL: Kirk Franklin Had an ATL Club Praising The LAWD!
Merritt cashed the check and shared the proceeds with Slater, who was then the manager of the District of Columbia’s Office of Tax Revenue’s Adjustment Unit. Slater manipulated records to falsify information for Jafari, assisting in evading collection efforts by other officials from the OTR.
Merritt acknowledged his guilt for all the charges in the indictment on the first day of the trial. Additionally, on June 7, 2023, a separate jury found Merritt guilty of bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud in connection with a different scheme involving businessman Andre De Moya (who also received a conviction during the trial). Merritt’s sentencing for both cases is set for January 19, 2024. Slater, who was involved in both the Jafari and De Moya schemes, has already pleaded guilty and awaits a sentencing date.
source: The DMV Daily
READ MORE:
- Mayor Brandon Scott Signs Bill Increasing Pay for Baltimore Security Officers
- WATCH: Mayor Brandon Scott Reflects On Black Leadership, Baltimore Pride And the Future Of The City
- Hundreds Rally in Baltimore to Protest ICE Enforcement
- Gov. Wes Moore Unveils Plan To Lower Utility Bills Across Maryland
- Maryland Braces For Heavy Snow And Hazardous Roads This Weekend
- Maryland Lawmakers Push to Crack Down on Virginia Vehicle Registrations
- Gov. Wes Moore Signs Order to Address Maryland’s Rising Energy Costs
- Atlanta’s Veneer King Exposed: $4M Scam Leaves Clients in Shambles
- 12 Free and Fun Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Around DC
- Layoffs Coming To BGE As Utility Shifts Strategy For Future Operations
Get Breaking News & Exclusive Content in Your Inbox:
D.C. Nightclub Owner Found Guilty Of Bribing Tax Officials was originally published on kysdc.com
