Hilton Head restaurant owner charged with failing to pay taxes on $2.3 million in sales
The owner of a popular Hilton Head Island restaurant is accused of failing to pay taxes and not reporting more than $2.3 million in sales since 2018.
The S.C. Department of Revenue arrested and charged Timothy Singleton, owner of Ruby Lee’s South, on Thursday with three counts of failing to pay taxes and one count of operating a business without a license, according to a press release.
The department alleges Singleton failed to timely report $2.39 million in gross sales from April 2018 to November 2020. It details $511,773 in liquor sales that were not reported, for a total of 182,515 in taxes owed.
Each count of failing to file taxes could mean one year in prison or a fine of $10,000, according to the Department of Revenue.
Ruby Lee’s South is a popular restaurant for soul food, located on the island’s south end near Sea Pines Circle. The restaurant is a sister location to the original Ruby Lee’s, which was on Old Wild Horse Road.
Ruby Lee’s South is known for its authentic Gullah recipes and larger-than-life live music. Prior to the pandemic, the indoor-outdoor restaurant featured live music most nights of the week. It’s one of the most upscale Gullah-owned restaurants on the island.
Singleton was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center after 2 p.m., jail records show. A bond has not been set.
This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 2:31 PM.
