The treasurer for the City of Beaumont is facing multiple felony charges following a public corruption investigation, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Prosecutors said Anup “AJ” Patel, 39, provided false information on Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) return forms regarding a motel he operated in the city, then stole another person’s identity to communicate with the city and make false claims regarding the TOT he owed.
Between April 2020 and December 2023, Patel claimed he received $0 in gross rent for the occupancy of motel rooms on multiple TOT forms submitted to the City of Beaumont under penalty of perjury, according to a news release from the DA’s Office.
A citywide review of all motels and hotels between January 2021 and December 2023 found that Patel’s motel collected $1,667,300.68 in gross rent…