A Mecklenburg County convenience store operator finds himself in the grip of the law, facing serious allegations of tax embezzlement. Prakash Mehta, a 72-year-old businessman from Waxhaw, was charged with three counts of embezzlement of state property by the North Carolina Department of Revenue, as first reported yesterday, February 17.
The indictments against Mehta claim that between January 1, 2022, through March 31, 2024, he aided and abetted Shivam, Inc., a Charlotte-based business he presided over, in misapplying and converting around $200,902.12 in North Carolina Sales Tax for its own use. During this time, Mehta was the individual responsible for the company, which was obligated to collect, hold in trust, and remit sales tax to the state authorities.
According to the North Carolina Department of Revenue's press release , Mehta was arrested and subsequently appeared before a Wake County magistrate, who placed him under a $100,000 unsecured bond. His first court appearance is scheduled for February 23, 2026, at the Wake County Superior Court in Raleigh. The legal woes of Mehta stem from a detailed investigation by special agents from the Department's Criminal Investigations Division in Raleigh.
