Jalili restaurateurs rack up unpaid taxes

Last edited 12:18 p.m., July 19, 2019

The Jalili family of restaurateurs have nearly $500,000 in unpaid taxes, according to recent public records gathered by Springfield Business Journal.

Federal tax liens indicate the Jalilis owe $330,525 through their Black Sheep, Char Steakhouse & Oyster Bar and Flame Steakhouse restaurant concepts. Co-owners Billy and Sara Jalili also are facing a personal tax lien of $147,323, bringing the total to $477,848.

“Due to couple of bad investment decisions, we have fallen behind on our taxes,” Billy Jalili said via email. “We have been working with the IRS and we have come up with a payment plan to pay off all the taxes.

“All the restaurants are doing good, and that’s why it makes it possible for us to pay off our back taxes.”

Public records show the majority of the tax liens against the restaurants are for unpaid employment and payroll taxes. Jalili said the restaurants employ 330 people.

Among the restaurants, Char Steakhouse has the largest federal tax lien of $107,199, followed by Flame, at $100,157, Black Sheep in Chesterfield Village, at $63,140, and the downtown Black Sheep, at $60,029. Black Sheep ASAP, located at 2420 E. Sunshine St., was not named in the tax liens.

Char Steakhouse formerly was Touch Restaurant & Oyster House. The Jalili family also last year scrapped plans for a new restaurant in Galloway Village called Chops, according to past SBJ reporting. Jalili also noted the family recently sold its Midnight Rodeo nightclub.

The Springfield News-Leader was first to report on the tax liens.