Ex-Politician, Motel Owner's Trial on Work Comp Charges to Begin Nov. 30

Monday, August 28, 2017 | 0

A trial date has been set for a former Red Bluff City Council member accused of failing to pay $20,000 in city taxes or carry workers' compensation coverage for the America's Best Value Inn he owned.

Suren Patel

Suren Patel's trial will begin Nov. 30, the Red Bluff Daily News reports. The pre-trial conference is set for Nov. 17. 

Tehama County prosecutors began investigating Patel in 2015 after hearing claims that he paid workers under the table and did not carry workers' compensation insurance.

In addition to confirming that Patel allegedly did not purchase a workers' compensation policy for his motel, investigators allegedly found that Patel had run up a $6,000 charge on an America's Best Value Inn customer's credit card and failed to pay $20,000 in transit occupancy taxes to the city of Red Bluff. 

Patel was arrested in Florida in 2016. Local officials said he was attempting to flee the country. 

He faces charges of perjury by declaration, theft from an elder or dependent adult, grand theft, workers' compensation fraud and conspiracy to commit a crime.