Former Charlotte business owner pleads guilty to tax offense

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Peter Thomas, a former member of the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ show and former Charlotte business owner, has pleaded guilty to a tax offense.

Thomas, 63, formerly of Charlotte and now a resident of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty Tuesday to failing to account for and pay over to the IRS the trust fund taxes due and owing on behalf of PT Media, LLC for the quarter ending June 30, 2021.

According to plea documents and Tuesday’s court proceedings, Thomas was the owner of Club One CLT, LLC, Sports ONE, Inc., Sports ONE CLT LLC and PT Media, LLC (collectively “the Charlotte businesses”) which operated as sports-themed bars/restaurants/lounges in Charlotte. He also owned several other bars, restaurants, and lounges in Florida and Maryland, including Bar One Miami Beach LLC and Bar One Baltimore LLC.

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According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, Thomas exercised control over the Charlotte businesses’ financial and business affairs and was responsible for collecting trust fund taxes and accounting for employment taxes by filing Forms 941 with the IRS and paying over to the IRS the employment taxes for the Charlotte businesses’ employees.

Between 2017 and 2022, Thomas caused the Charlotte businesses to collect more than $640,000 in trust fund taxes from the wages of their employees, but Thomas didn’t pay over those taxes to the IRS. In addition, between 2021 and 2023, Thomas caused Bar One Miami Beach LLC and Bar One Balitmore LLC to collect more than $1.1 million in trust fund taxes from the wages of their employees, but Thomas didn’t pay over those taxes to the IRS. In total, between 2017 and 2023, Thomas caused the Charlotte businesses, Bar One Miami Beach LLC, and Bar One Baltimore LLC to fail to pay over more than $2.5 million in employment taxes, including more than $1,740,000 in trust fund taxes from the wages of their employees.

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Court documents show that instead of paying the trust fund taxes that were due on behalf of the Charlotte businesses, Thomas used the trust fund taxes for other purposes, including cash withdrawals, travel, real estate purchases, and retail purchases. Thomas also caused more than $2.9 million to be transferred between the Charlotte businesses, Bar One Miami Beach, LLC, and Bar One Baltimore, LLC.

Thomas was released on bond following his plea hearing. The tax charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

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