MEMPHIS, TN — Billy Richmond Jr., the owner of Memphis-based wing franchise The Wing Guru, has been arrested and indicted on charges of theft and tax fraud. Court records show that Richmond is facing one count of theft of property over $250,000 and two counts of falsifying state revenue/tax records. His bail has been set at $50,000.
The charges stem from incidents that occurred between January 1, 2018, and January 1, 2022, during which Richmond allegedly misappropriated funds and falsified financial documents. Richmond opened The Wing Guru in 2016 and expanded the business into a well-known brand in the Memphis area.
A Shelby County grand jury indicted Richmond on March 6, and he was arrested and booked into the Shelby County Jail on March 31. In response to the indictment, Richmond released a statement via The Wing Guru’s social media accounts on Tuesday.
While unable to fully comment on the specifics of the indictment due to the details being sealed and pending full disclosure, Richmond made it clear that he voluntarily surrendered to authorities in order to fully cooperate with the legal process and ensure due process is followed. He is confident that the matter will be resolved in due course. He also emphasized that Wing Guru Inc. has employed professionals to manage its financial reporting and sales accounts and stated that he did not intentionally or willfully misreport or falsify any financial documents.
Richmond expressed gratitude for the support he has received, thanking his family, staff, and friends for their unwavering support and prayers during this challenging time. While this is not the kind of attention he seeks for himself, his family, The Wing Guru brand, or their loyal customers, he remains committed to working closely with his legal team to resolve the issue and continue to rebuild and strengthen both The Wing Guru brand and the trust the company has earned with its valued customers.
The indictment comes months after The Commercial Appeal reported that Richmond owes Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant over $365,000 for using Morant’s likeness without compensation. This, along with other legal disputes, has contributed to Richmond owing at least $3.8 million in unpaid damages. The damages include unresolved disputes with former franchisees, a property manager, and a loan company.
It remains unclear whether Richmond’s recent arrest is related to these civil cases. Previous attempts to reach Richmond regarding the unpaid damages have been unsuccessful.
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Richmond is also a former college basketball player. He began his career at Vanderbilt University before transferring to the University of Memphis, where he played for former Tigers coach John Calipari.
