NEWS RELEASE

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

Public Affairs Office                   Phone (803) 898-5464

Contact: Danny Brazell                 Fax  (803) 898-5446

                                              Email: brazeld@sctax.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2003

Columbia businessman arrested on tax charges

     South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators arrested the owner of a Columbia vacuum cleaner sales and service business today on charges of understating the sales from his business to avoid paying state sales tax.

      Roger M. Nix, 40, of 548 North Royal Tower Drive, Irmo, is being held at the Richland County Detention Center pending a bond hearing. Nix, the owner of Kirby Center of Columbia, 1507 Bush River Road, is charged with 36 counts of sales tax evasion. His arrest follows an audit of his business by the Department of Revenue.

      Nix is accused of underreporting the sales from his business from 1997 – 99 by $1.8 million. The Department estimates Nix has a tax liability of $91,153 on the unreported sales. 

      Nix is facing up to five years in prison on each count and fines of up to $360,000 if convicted of the charges.

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