Reality star Peter Thomas will not report to prison until after July 1

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte bar and nightclub owner and reality star Peter Thomas will not have to report to prison for his 18-month sentence until well into 2025.

According to federal court documents, Thomas will be placed in a prison “as close to Miami, Florida as possible.” The documents say Thomas “shall not be designated to surrender for service prior to July 1, 2025.

Included in Thomas’ court docket was a letter from Blue Collar Productions President Mark Rowen. Rowen wrote that Blue Collar Productions is currently developing a TV series based on Thomas’ life. The letter says the series will look at “current activities in Peter’s life, including his personal relationships, the opening of bars and restaurants, along with his legal issues.”

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The letter says Blue Collar Productions is actively working on selling the project and hoping to have a buyer after the start of the new year. The letter says six months of filming is expected.

“Mr. Thomas has told me that the salary he earns will go towards paying his current restitution,” Rowen wrote.

Thomas has to pay more than $2.5 million to the IRS.

The Charlotte bar owner and Real Housewives of Atlanta star pleaded guilty to not paying millions in employment taxes for his restaurants and nightclubs across the country including Sports One in Uptown. Channel 9 has interviewed Thomas several times over the years. Attempts to reach Thomas on Friday were not successful.

“I want to thank the prosecutor and the judge because they did an incredible job,” Thomas said on Instagram. “I am thankful they are fair people. God blessed me with fair people.”

On Instagram, Thomas warned other business owners to not follow his example.

“This is one of those things you will get locked up for if you don’t pay those withholding taxes consistently,” he said. “The United States government don’t play with that.”

Court documents say instead of paying trust fund taxes on behalf of his Charlotte bars and nightclubs, Thomas used them for other purposes including $2.5 million for cash, $370,000 for travel and real estate and $250,000 in retail purchases including high-end items from Neiman Marcus, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy.

“I was wrong and I have to pay my dues,” he said.

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