LAKEVIEW — An owner of Cesar's Restaurant in Lakeview — which touts itself as the home of "the killer margaritas" — was charged Wednesday with theft and tax evasion for failing to report $1 million in sales, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said.
Sandra Sanchez, 43, of Morton Grove, was charged with defrauding the state out of more than $100,000 in sales tax revenue, according to a statement from Madigan's office.
From January 2012 to October 2015, Sanchez used a device known as a zapper to falsify electronic records of sales at the restaurant's location at 3166 N. Clark St., Madigan said. The restaurant has a second location at 2924 N. Broadway.
Zapper devices are designed to "automatically delete some or all of a business' records of cash sales transactions and reconcile data so that reported sales appear to match reported income," according to the statement.
Cesar's Killer Margaritas has two locations in Lakeview. [Google Maps]
Illinois banned the use of sales suppression software and devices in 2013, and this is the state's first prosecution involving zapper technology, according to the statement.
"These charges should send a message that using technology will not protect criminals from being held accountable," Madigan said.
Sanchez is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 6, Madigan's office said.
Despite the news, Cesar's remained open as of Wednesday.
In February, Cesar's was among many Chicago restaurants, particularly those serving Mexican or Latin cuisine, to close their doors in marking "A Day Without Immigrants."
The nationwide movement sought to have foreign-born people stay home from work and not spend money to demonstrate their value in the United States, regardless of legal status.
Both Cesar's locations are popular haunts for young Lakeview residents, in part thanks to the giant margaritas, inexpensive Mexican food and a lively atmosphere.
