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Posted on 11/02/2025 12:16:24 PM PST by Libloather
A group of strip club executives allegedly bribed a New York state tax auditor with cash, luxury Florida trips and lap dances worth thousands of dollars a day to slash millions from their tax bills, according to a sweeping indictment by Attorney General Letitia James.
The 79-count indictment accuses top leaders of RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc., the Texas-based parent company behind strip clubs Rick’s Cabaret, Vivid Cabaret and Hoops Cabaret, of using their venues to disguise bribes as "promotional" expenses and avoid more than $8 million in sales taxes between 2010 and 2024.
Prosecutors say the auditor received at least 13 all-expenses-paid trips to Florida, where the company’s top leadership was allegedly given hotel rooms, restaurant meals and up to $5,000 per day for private dances at RCI-owned clubs.
Federal defense attorney Ronald Chapman II said the allegations, while "sensational," may not prove criminal intent once tested in court.
"When you look a little deeper, things start to look a little bit different," Chapman told Fox News Digital. "This case reminds me of the [President] Trump financial-fraud case, where prosecutors in New York built a sweeping narrative around business judgments that may not actually violate the law."
Chapman said prosecutors face an uphill battle to prove a quid pro quo and that the auditor’s decisions were directly influenced by the perks.
"It only turns into bribery when that is also done consistent with bad conduct, looking the other way on something," he said. "I just don’t see that other side of the quid pro quo yet."
He also questioned the timing of the charges, pointing to the embattled attorney general.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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Problem is some of those gifts may keep giving...if ya know what I mean.
Nice job benefits if you can get’m.
Certain jobs have interesting perks.
I never even thought of becoming a tax collector. Da@n that @¥%# high school counselor!!!!!!!
The government just hates people. Wants to stomp on 'em. It's like a compulsion.
Letitia did not get her cut?
I suspect a lot of young Freepers will know what to study for.
“lap dances”
Lol…is that what they call it now?
😬
Are tax authorities going to determine valuations of these services?
Ricks got ran out of Seattle as I heard it was more of a brothel.
I was never there but I heard about it when I lived in Portland.
They should have just paid lobbyists in Albany to get a tax break.
,,, a lap dance would assist that.
> strip club executives
Is that a fancy title for mobsters?
Well the Tax officials needed to understand the business model, unfortunately they were short of cash and wanted the full treatment…..
What happened to the state employee?
What strip club was it? M R Biggins?
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