Blythewood businesswoman, former task force member, indicted for tax evasion

A Blythewood businesswoman and former member of a governor’s task force on regulatory review was indicted this week on two counts of tax evasion, according to the S.C. Department of Revenue.

Terris Shirelle Riley was indicted by a Richland County grand jury on two counts of willful attempt to evade or defeat a tax, according to a news release.

In the 2012 and 2013 tax years, Riley “purposely omitted” the reporting of more than $1.2 million in income received from New Venue Technologies Inc., the Department of Revenue said. Her omission ensured that the appropriate amount of tax, which totaled more than $50,000, was neither properly calculated nor paid.

If convicted, Riley faces up to $10,000 in fines and/or a maximum of five years in prison per count, officials said.

Riley was indicted in 2014 on embezzlement and breach of trust charges in connection with New Venue Technologies. According to indictments released at the time, Riley was entrusted with funds to be paid to various vendors who had supplied computer software to governmental entities within South Carolina. She is accused of converting those funds to her own use.

The 2014 charges remain pending, according to Richland County court records.

Riley was listed as a member of the Governor’s Regulatory Review Task Force in 2013, according to a list published on the S.C. Department of Commerce’s website. The task force was created in February 2013 by Gov. Nikki Haley to evaluate the state’s regulatory burdens on businesses and propose recommendations to relieve those burdens.

Riley was appointed by state Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, and was assigned with state Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, to review the departments of commerce, social services, mental health and special needs, according to the list. In the task force’s executive summary report published in November 2013, however, Riley was not listed as a member.

Riley has a pending charge from November 2013 for breach of trust with fraudulent intent, $10,000 or more, according to court records.

She deferred questions to her attorney, Rutherford, who could not be immediately reached for comment.