ST. PETERSBURG (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — John Bodziak, owner of Jannus Productions and the outdoor concert venue Jannus Landing Courtyard, has been charged with failure to pay more than 200,000 in state sales tax from the venue.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, Bodziak allegedly collected sales tax from Jannus Landing patrons from June 2004 to July 2007 but failed to forward it to the state.
The Times reported that Bodziak was arrested and charged with with first-degree grand theft, a crime that could earn Bodziak, if found guilty, up to 30 years in prison and require repayment of the 200,000 plus interest and penalties.
"Most Florida businesses do an excellent job of meeting the state's requirements for collecting and submitting sales tax, which pays for services Floridians need," Lisa Echeverri, the executive director of the Florida Department of Revenue said in a press release about the arrest. "Individuals who collect tax but don't send it in are stealing taxpayer dollars and gaining an unfair financial advantage over honest businesses. It's our job to ensure that Florida's tax laws are administered fairly."
Jannus Landing bills itself as Florida's largest outdoor concert venue and has a calender that features upcoming performances by Plain White Ts, Matisyahu and Les Claypool among others. No announcement has been made about any changes to these dates.
A representative from Jannus Landing could not be reached for comment. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
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