Man Who Owned Strip Club In Salina, Kan. Sentenced For Tax Evasion

TOPEKA, KAN. – A man who owned a strip club in Salina has been sentenced to three years federal probation for filing false tax returns and underpaying his federal income taxes, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today. He also was ordered to pay $153,510, the full amount of taxes he owes.

Kirk Roberts, 49, Salina, Kan., pleaded guilty to three counts of filing false income tax returns for tax years 2006, 2007 and 2008. In his plea, he admitted that while he was the owner of Wild, Wild West, Inc., a strip club in Salina, he failed to report cash receipts totaling $537,942. As a result, he underpaid his federal income taxes by $153,510.

The club collected $3 to $5 cash per night per customer for door cover charges. It also collected between $25 and $50 per night in cash for house fees paid by dancers so they could dance on stage, as well as $35 per half hour in cash paid by dancers for using private rooms or “champagne rooms.”

The cash from the fees was not recorded on the business’ cash register. Rather than depositing the cash into the business’ bank account, Roberts deposited the money into a personal account.

Grissom commended the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant U.S. Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.