2 Broad Ripple business owners under investigation for underreporting taxes

INDIANAPOLIS — A search conducted at four different Broad Ripple bars last week was related to a tax investigation, court documents reveal.

On April 24, FOX59/CBS4 learned that multiple agencies were serving search warrants on Rock Lobster, Average Joe’s, the Mineshaft Saloon and Connor’s Pub as part of an undisclosed investigation.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed these searches in addition to two separate homes being searched.

Court documents detained by FOX59/CBS4 now reveal that these six searches were part of an Indiana Department of Revenue investigation into two Broad Ripple business owners — one who owns Rock Lobster, Average Joe’s and the Mineshaft Saloon and another who owns Connor’s Pub.

According to these documents, both owners are accused of underreporting taxable sales at their businesses in order to avoid paying taxes.

The searches conducted on April 24 at the owners’ businesses and homes sought to uncover evidence “relating to charges of tax evasion, theft and underreporting of gross sales.”

According to the documents, eight locations were actually searched on April 24 resulting in more than $10,000 being seized “for forfeiture as proceeds from fraud,” investigators stated.

Official charges have not yet been filed.