Casino boat faces tax troubles

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Monday, March 10, 2003 | 9:42 a.m.

LITTLE RIVER, S.C. -- The Stardancer casino boat faces tax trouble in Horry County as a federal investigation of tax evasion continues.

The troubled company has one week to pay $42,000 in real estate and property taxes or face fines, said county spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier. But the county doesn't expect to see that money.

Stardancer's business, which included a casino boat in Little River and four casino boats in Florida, has not operated since the FBI raided the company's Little River headquarters and Florida offices in January.

The FBI and Internal Revenue Service are investigating Stardancer and its owner and president, Sam Gray Sr., on allegations of financial misdeeds including mail fraud, tax evasion and filing false tax returns.

The accusations against Gray include not claiming assets on tax forms and using Stardancer money to buy $18,000 of furniture for his house in Gulfport, Fla., according to court records.