Akash Patel was sentenced to 10 years of probation, a $20,000 fine, and $50,000 in restitution to the Georgia Department of Revenue after pleading guilty to commercial gambling, possession of gambling equipment, fraudulent sales tax returns by a dealer, and income tax evasion on Monday.
Reports said that Patel’s store contained gambling devices and that he filed falsified tax returns between 2011 and 2013.
Patel was arrested in 2013 following a sting at a store he ran at 1810 Redmond Circle.
He was one of nine people arrested in that sting conducted at seven stores over Floyd County.
Patel is the third person who has pleaded guilty to charges. Naveed Bhamani and Nizarali Bhamani pleaded guilty to gambling and tax evasion charges in August and were sentenced to 10 years of probation under the First Offender Act. Their store, Dragon Food Mart in Lindale, was one of the stores raided that day.
Naveed Bhamani was fined $50,000 and had to pay back taxes to the state. Nazarali Bhamani was fined $45,000.
