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Gladys Knight’s son and restaurateur released from Clayton County jail

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June 22, 2016
ExploreUpdate:Witnesses say Gladys Knight’s son spent on sex, pot as waffle chain sank

The owner of Gladys Knight’s Chicken & Waffles restaurants was released on $20,000 bond from Clayton County jail Wednesday afternoon, according to online inmate records.

Shanga Hankerson, son of the R&B legend, faces two counts of felony theft by taking for some $52,600 in sales tax a Georgia Department of Revenue investigator said was collected in March and April but never sent to the state, according to applications for criminal arrest warrants filed in Clayton County Magistrate Court.

Hankerson, 39, is accused of taking a total of $650,000 in state sales and withholding taxes, which after penalties and interest totals more than $1 million. The restaurants, which were raided Tuesday, were closed Wednesday.

No bond amount was listed for Hankerson in online jail records.

Return to AJC.com for updates.

About the Author

Willoughby Mariano is an investigative reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she focuses on housing and criminal justice issues. She previously worked for the AJC's PolitiFact Georgia, where she fact checked the claims of elected officials, and at the Orlando Sentinel, where she covered crime and breaking news.

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