Keovilayvanh Rinthalukay, who owns Simply Thai in Tukwila, pleaded guilty on May 2 to willful failure to pay over taxes, admitting that between 2015 and 2019, he withheld taxes from his employees’ paychecks but failed to pay the taxes to the government.
Instead, he pocketed the money for his personal benefit, using it to pay for private school tuition, buying a motorcycle, and purchasing property. The total amount of withheld taxes was at least $926,092.
He will serve an 18-month prison sentence.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge James L. Robart emphasized the seriousness of Rinthalukay’s actions, noting that the defendant had shown no respect for the law. The judge also mentioned that Rinthalukay owned two homes in Western Washington valued at well over $2 million.
The government also noted that Rinthalukay has not paid his personal federal income taxes since 1998. The IRS is still reviewing that matter.