Apple Valley Man Charged In Tax Crime

APPLE VALLEY, MN — An Apple Valley man was charged with a tax crime at his Robbinsdale business. Anton Hanna Maarouf and his business each face a felony count of possessing untaxed tobacco products.

Maarouf owns a convenience store in Robbinsdale, according to authorities. Maarouf faces a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

According to investigators, there was more than $2,000 worth of untaxed tobacco products found during a random compliance check at Lakeland Market on Aug. 13. Inspectors found two cases of tobacco products stored in a back room, kept separately from other overstock items and "partially obscured by laundry," the criminal complaint said.

Maarouf did not have invoices for the tobacco products in question and did not appeal the seizure of the untaxed tobacco products, according to authorities.

He was charged on Jan. 4 and is scheduled to appear in Hennepin County court on Feb. 25.