Lowcountry store owner accused of underreporting millions in sales

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Revenue says they arrested the owner of two Lowcountry convenience stores for tax evasion.

Luz Myriam Torres, 69, of Goose Creek, is charged with four counts of tax evasion.

Torres owns and operates Torres Superettes, which has a location in Dorchester and Charleston Counties.

From 2017 through 2020, she reported gross sales of $329,043 for both stores, according to the arrest affidavit. The state department of revenue says they found the actual sales were just under $3.8 million, which is an underreporting of $3.4 million.

This underreporting led to Torres evading $242,261 in taxes, according to state authorities.

“The SCDOR is committed to the fair administration of tax laws,” the department stated in a news release. “By taking enforcement action against noncompliant taxpayers, the department seeks to prevent unfairly increasing the tax burden on those who do comply.”

Torres was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center. She was released the same day after posting bail for $20,000.

If convicted, Torres faces a maximum sentence of five years and/or a fine of $10,000 for each count.

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