EDWARDSVILLE – An Edwardsville restaurant owner accused of filing false tax returns to avoid paying over $100,000 in sales taxes to the State of Illinois was recently indicted by a grand jury.
Saran Puribhat, 54, of Belleville, was indicted on two counts of theft of governmental property over $100,000 (both Class X felonies), one count of sales tax evasion (a Class 1 felony), one count of wire fraud (a Class 3 felony) and 35 counts of fraudulent filings of sales tax returns (each Class 3 felonies).
From Jan. 1, 2020 to Feb. 19, 2024, Puribhat allegedly knowingly caused Zapp Thai restaurant to fail to remit a portion of its sales tax money to the State of Illinois, with the total amount unlawfully withheld from the state exceeding $100,000.
Puribhat allegedly attempted to evade the tax imposed on Zapp Thai restaurant by committing at least one act to conceal, misrepresent, falsify, or manipulate a material fact regarding the amount of sales tax owed to the State of Illinois. He reportedly understated the amount of receipts from sales and general merchandise on the restaurant’s sales tax returns each month from Jan. 1, 2020 to Feb. 19, 2024.
A Madison County grand jury handed down the 39-count indictment on March 26, 2026, formally charging Puribhat in the case presented by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
