A regional Thai restaurant chain under investigation for alleged wage-and-hour abuses also owes nearly $1.5 million in federal and state payroll taxes and penalties, according to state and federal documents.

The Internal Revenue Service filed a lien last month against Typhoon! Inc. in Tigard for more than $1 million in unpaid unemployment, Medicare and Social Security taxes, according to Multnomah County Recorder's office. The taxes usually are withheld from employee paychecks.

The IRS also

in March against Typhoon's restaurants in Redmond, Wash., and downtown Portland for $82,000 in unpaid payroll taxes. The bills cover taxes owed between December 2008 and March 2010.

Also last month:

The Oregon Department of Revenue filed liens against Typhoon for $211,000 in unpaid employee withholding tax. The withholdings were due between June 2009 and June 2010, according to Washington County's Assessment & Taxation Department.

The Oregon Employment Department filed a warrant seeking $127,000 in unpaid unemployment insurance tax, penalties and interest from Typhoon. The company also still owes $29,000 on a March 2009 warrant, tax department manager Rob Edwards said.

"We've been in meetings all day focused on this new challenge," Typhoon co-owner Steve Kline said in an e-mail. "As a family restaurant group we are cooperating fully with state and federal tax officials to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. It is important to us that these business matters not interfere with the livelihoods of our employees or the continued enjoyment of our loyal customers."

Tigard-based Typhoon operates two restaurants in Portland and sites in Beaverton, Gresham, Bend and Redmond, Wash. In October

. The company also owns Catering by Bo and Bo Asian Bistros in Portland and Bend.

Spokespersons for the IRS and the state revenue department declined to comment, citing privacy rules.

But Edwards said Typhoon's state unemployment tax debts are significant.

"They're ones we would pay close attention to," Edwards said. "They're higher than average."

Businesses often resolve payroll tax liens by getting on payment plans with the tax collecting entity. But lingering bills can lead to enforcement actions, including bank-account garnishments and the seizure and sale of assets.

Typhoon faces other, potentially costly regulatory actions. Last year, Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian

of violating workers civil rights by, among other things, discriminating against Thai cooks by paying them less, denying them raises, providing them less vacation time and requiring them to work longer hours than U.S.-born workers.

Avakian also accused Typhoon of forcing chefs to sign labor agreements that negated their civil rights -- and then retaliating and harassing two chefs when they refused to sign the agreements.

Kline and Edwards have denied violating workers' rights. The Bureau of Labor and Industries, which Avakian oversees, is still investigating the charges, spokesman Bob Estabrook said Tuesday.

--