Gladys Knight son, Shanga Hankerson has been accused of stealing tax money from several Atlanta chicken and Waffles restaurants. The Georgia Department of Revenue executed a warrant to raid the Chicken and Waffles headquarters Tuesday, (June 21) but were unable to make an arrest.
Josh Waites of the Georgia Department of Revenue’s Office of Special Investigations, said the raid was executed in search of tax records documenting efforts to collect money paid by customers for sales tax or withheld from the employees, according to Fox News. Authorities allege the singer’s son stole more than $650,000 in sales and withheld taxes for his personal use. And after considering penalties and interest, officials claim the total stolen amount sums up to more than $1 million.
Waites stated authorities are working with Hankerson’s legal team “to have the business up and running again as soon as possible.” While negotiations are still being worked through, authorities have said that Gladys Knight is not suspected of any criminal activity. The soul singer’s spokesperson offered a few words in regards to the matter.
“Gladys Knight lent her name to her son’s restaurants in the Atlanta area, similar to a celebrity endorsement,” the statement read. “Ms. Knight was not involved in any way with the operation of the restaurants and she is sure that her son and his business partners will rectify the situation. As always, her main concern is for her family’s well-being and she is making sure the family has the guidance they need to assess the situation and move forward.”