A Charleston restaurant owner paid employees thousands of dollars he owed them in back wages but then forced them to repay the money to him, according to federal authorities.Jose “Jaime” Villapondo, owner of Senor Tequila restaurants in Charleston, pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements. He will be sentenced at a later date.Investigators found that Villapondo short-changed seven employees more than $106,000 from July 2008 to July 2010.Villapondo admitted what he had done, was put on probation and agreed to back the employees back wages in 2011. But instead of actually paying the employees back, he gave them checks on which he wrote Senor Tequila back wages that he had them deposit in bank accounts which he set up. He then had them withdraw the money in increments and return the money to him. He mailed the cancelled checks to authorities to make it appear he had paid the employees.Villapondo faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up $250,000.

A Charleston restaurant owner paid employees thousands of dollars he owed them in back wages but then forced them to repay the money to him, according to federal authorities.

Jose “Jaime” Villapondo, owner of Senor Tequila restaurants in Charleston, pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements. He will be sentenced at a later date.


Investigators found that Villapondo short-changed seven employees more than $106,000 from July 2008 to July 2010.

Villapondo admitted what he had done, was put on probation and agreed to back the employees back wages in 2011. But instead of actually paying the employees back, he gave them checks on which he wrote Senor Tequila back wages that he had them deposit in bank accounts which he set up. He then had them withdraw the money in increments and return the money to him. He mailed the cancelled checks to authorities to make it appear he had paid the employees.

Villapondo faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up $250,000.