NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The owner of BJ’s Furniture Outlet in North Myrtle Beach was arrested Monday by South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators on three counts of tax evasion.
The owner, John Henry Hammond, is accused of filing fraudulent sales tax returns that resulted in more than $120,000 in taxes due to South Carolina.
According to the SCDOR’s website, Hammond understated the business’ actual gross proceeds and overstated deductions. On the business’ sales tax returns from 2013 to 2015, Hammond reported a total of $1,398,959 in gross proceeds and $592,011 in deductions. However, the SCDOR investigation revealed actual gross proceeds totaling $2,667,211 and deductions totaling $244,904.
Hammond is currently being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. If convicted, he faces fines up to $10,000 and/or up to five years in prison per charge.
