MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of Carlos Ramirez, president of Carmen’s Taqueria in Murfreesboro. Revenue special agents arrested Ramirez, age 54, on Tuesday. His bond was set at $50,000.
On February 9, 2021, the Rutherford County Grand Jury indicted Ramirez on one count of theft over $250,000, 50 counts of false sales tax returns, and five counts of money laundering.
“The Department of Revenue has always been committed to making sure Tennessee’s tax laws and procedures are applied uniformly to ensure fairness,” Commissioner David Gerregano said. “We can never allow individuals engaged in fraudulent tax activity to have a competitive advantage over honest Tennesseans.”
If convicted, Ramirez could be sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $50,000 for theft of property. He could also be sentenced for up to 12 years and fined up to $25,000 for money laundering. Also, he could face up to two years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $3,000 for each count of filing false sales tax returns.
The department is pursuing the criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Jennings Jones’ 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 around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2020 fiscal year, it collected $15.1 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3.2 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.
