Bar owners surrender licenses - ATC - Louisiana

Bar owners surrender licenses
By JASON BROWN
Advocate Acadiana bureau
Published: Aug 28, 2009 - Page: 1BA
LAFAYETTE — Owners of two downtown bars voluntarily surrendered their alcohol licenses
Thursday after reaching an agreement with the state Alcohol and Tobacco Control Office.
Licenses for Karma Nightclub and Marley’s Sports Bar and Grill were surrendered and the businesses
were shut down shortly before 1 p.m.
Owners surrendered the licenses during an administrative hearing Thursday over allegations that
the bars owed an undisclosed amount of local and state taxes.
The issue is tied to a separate criminal investigation into Eric Cloutier, who at one time had an ownership
stake in both bars.
Cloutier was arrested in February following a nine-month investigation by the state ATC office.
He now faces 15 felony counts involving allegations of tax evasion, racketeering, and money laundering
as much as $1.4 million through the two bars.
Carl Meche, sales tax director for the Lafayette Parish School Board, declined to release the amount of
taxes that was allegedly owed.
Meche told ATC Commissioner Murphy J. Painter during the hearing that he could not issue a tax
clearance for either business.
He said an audit conducted by the state showed that there was a tax deficiency based on what the
businesses reported and what the audit found.
Meche later said that owners for both bars have protested the assessment and have requested and will
receive a separate hearing on the issue.
The hearings are not open to the public, Meche said.
Daniel Stanford, an attorney representing Marley’s, said the owners agreed to surrender the licenses as a
“sign of good faith” while they work to resolve the issue.
Stanford said the bar’s two owners, Cloutier and Andrew Monceaux, disagree with the amount of taxes
allegedly owed.
He said he hopes to have the situation straightened out within the next 30 days so that Marley’s can get
“up and running again.”
Cloutier recently sold his ownership stake in Karma.
Authorities recently disclosed that they have expanded the investigation and additional counts could be
levied against Cloutier in connection with another business he has ties to.
The name of that business was not released but state records indicate that Cloutier also has an
ownership stake in Dix “Almost Famous” Daiquiris, on Kaliste Saloom Road.
Thomas A. McCormick, with the state Attorney General’s Office, said he expected to pick up the
investigation Thursday.

Additional counts could come before Cloutier’s next criminal court date in October.
To date, Cloutier is the only person booked in connection with the issue.
Cloutier, a professional poker player and a former hockey player with the original Louisiana IceGators,
remains free on bond.
Thursday’s administrative hearing followed a number of prior continuances and did not deal with any of
the pending criminal matters.
After the tax situation and a separate ownership issue is worked out, the bars can reapply for
licenses.
It would be considered a new application, and the licenses would then stand on their own merit,
Painter said.