Strip club, sports bar owner charged in worker’s comp and insurance fraud case

The owner of a bar and strip club in Home Gardens near Corona has been charged with six felonies, including Worker’s Compensation Insurance fraud and tax evasion, it was reported.

Angel's Sports Bar and Gentlemens Club. (contributed image)

Renee Anne Vicary, 51, was arraigned on Wednesday June 13 at the Hall of Justice in Riverside.

She surrendered in court on an arrest warrant that was issued last month, Riverside County DA spokesperson John Hall stated.

Vicary entered not guilty pleas and has a felony settlement conference scheduled for Aug. 13, 2012.

During an investigation it was found that Vicary owned and operated the following four businesses: Angels Sports Bar and Gentleman’s Club, 1650 Sixth St., Corona; Angels Sports Bar and Grill, 3020 E. Coronado St, Anaheim; Angels Roadhouse, 32464 Dunlap Blvd, Yucaipa; and Angels Roadhouse #2, 13685 John Glenn Road, Apple Valley.

Angels Sports Bar in Corona was featured on an episode of the Spike TV show “Bar Repair” in July 2011 during which it was renamed Racks Billiards and Bourbon.

Vicary is charged with one count each of Unemployment Insurance Code section 2117.5, filing a false tax return with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and Unemployment Insurance Code section 2118.5, failure to collect and pay tax to EDD, Hall explained.

She also has been charged with one count of Insurance Code section 11880, willful misrepresentation to obtain insurance and three counts each of Insurance Code section 11760, willful misrepresentation to obtain Worker’s Compensation Insurance.

Nearly two years ago, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office began an investigation after receiving information that Vicary was under-reporting her employee payroll at the Corona location.

It was found that the insurance policy listed Vicary as employing four employees at each of the Corona and Anaheim businesses and three employees at each of the two San Bernardino County businesses.

Investigators determined that Vicary actually employed more employees than that at each of the four locations.

Hall said search warrants were served at all four businesses as well as Vicary’s Corona home and several financial institutions. It took many months for EDD and three insurance companies used by Vicary to complete audits.

Once those audits were done, it was found that losses were in excess of $340,000. Vicary was then charged by the DA’s Office with the six felonies.

If convicted as now charged, Vicary faces up to 14 years, four months in prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michael Mayman of the DA’s Insurance Fraud Unit.