DALLAS — A Westlake man who owns several businesses, bars and nightclubs in the DFW area and allegedly hadn’t paid taxes since 1992 was indicted last week, federal prosecutors announced.
Dhanesh Ganesh, 62, was indicted Jan. 17 on five counts of tax evasion, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, federal officials say. Ganesh was arrested Friday and made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford Monday, officials say. The amount of allegedly unpaid taxes is about $1.6 million, officials say.
Among Ganesh’s businesses were The Ganesh Group, which leased commercial real estate to businesses in Dallas, El Paraiso, El Reventon presents Jack Marks Lounge, Tacqueria Garibaldi, Las Hamacas, RG Developments Co., a company that sold used tires in Dallas, and others, according to the indictment.
Ganesh allegedly concealed his ownership in his businesses by using nominees’ names, including his ex-wife, his brothers, and his sons, according to the indictment.
Ganesh didn’t have accounts in his own name and didn’t have signatory authority on bank accounts opened in the names of the companies he ran, and payments from the businesses were collected in check and cash form, officials allege. The checks were cashed at check-cashing businesses, and then used to buy cashier’s checks, officials say.
Ganesh and others also allegedly sold cocaine at some of the restaurants and bars, according to the indictment.
If convicted, Ganesh faces up to five years in prison for each of the five counts of tax evasion, 20 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and 20 years in prison for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, officials say.
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