Federal agents are “asking questions” about the finances of the Sikh Religious Society of South Carolina, the temple where S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s parents, Dr. Ajit S. “Doc” Randhawa and Raj Randhawa worship.
While the term “investigation” was not used per se, sources at the FBI and the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed to FITS that their offices have been asked to examine reports of alleged financial irregularities at the temple involving Haley’s father, “Doc” Randhawa.
Our source at SLED said that the agency has referred all inquiries to the FBI – which is conducting the preliminary inquiry.
In addition to these law enforcement sources, several congregation members who spoke with FITS on condition of anonymity confirmed that they have been contacted by authorities with specific questions about the temple’s finances, but they declined to elaborate on the specific questions they were asked.
What are the feds looking for?
Well, for starters we’re told that they are examining financial discrepancies that were first exposed in this exclusive report published on FITS last November. Specifically, agents are trying to determine whether Haley’s father – a temple leader – is guilty of mere shoddy financial management or something more sinister.
None of our sources would say whether Nikki Haley – a former member of the temple’s board and its rumored accountant – was a focus of the investigation.
“Any inquiry involving a sitting governor would have to be authorized by the Department of Justice,” one of our agency sources said, declining to elaborate further.
A DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to our request for comment regarding this story.
The temple’s poor fiscal management is nothing new. According to Richland County court filings the Sikh Religious Society has been sued four times since March 2010 – including actions to foreclose and debts totaling $116,000. In a court filing dated October 15, 2010, the temple was given a twenty-day notice of an impending lawsuit regarding a lien placed on its property by Hardaway Concrete Company – one of several contractors that is suing the temple for non-payment of invoices.
In addition to failing to pay its debts, there are also questions about how “Doc” Randhawa has managed the temple’s books.
Until last October, shortly before FITS began making inquiries regarding the temple, contributions earmarked for the project were sent directly to Ajit Randhawa’s residence, however in recent months the congregation has been asked to “make a deposit direct to BB&T” and “call your friends and relatives to donate.”
Speaking of donations, one of the sources we spoke with told us that Randhawa has a history of providing donors with tax receipts that are in excess of cash contributions made to the organization – which if true would be highly illegal.
Also – and this is the most damaging allegation – several congregation members claim that Randhawa may have illegally funneled money intended for the temple into his daughter’s gubernatorial campaign.
We’ve uncovered no proof of that charge (yet), but Randhawa is clearly not leveling with his congregation about the temple’s outstanding debts – nor is he being honest with them about the size of the loan taken out on the new construction project.
Documents obtained by FITS show that in May of 2009, the temple took out a $750,000 loan with BB&T – although Randhawa has told the congregation on multiple occasions (most recently in the October 15 newsletter) that the loan was for $700,000.
When one congregation member asked about this discrepancy, Randhawa reportedly told them that he would have to “check with Nikki,” who in addition to her rumored work as the society’s accountant was also a member of its board of trustees at one time.
Haley was raised as a Sikh, but joined a Methodist church after marrying her husband, Michael Haley.
(Here are some pictures of Haley attending a wedding at the temple last year).
Numerous congregation members are unhappy with the Randhawa’s – and Nikki Haley. In fact, Haley’s alleged accounting work has reportedly been so shoddy that when the temple sought the loan, several members of the congregation requested that an outside bookkeeper be brought in to manage its proceeds.
If true, this obviously wouldn’t be the first time that Haley has fumbled work for her family.
In September, records published by the Associated Press revealed that Haley’s family business has been penalized three times over the last six years for failing to pay its corporate income taxes on time (and failing to turn over taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks). The company – owned by her parents – has also been late paying property taxes. Meanwhile, Haley and her husband have also repeatedly failed to pay their income taxes on time – and were late paying their property taxes on at least one occasion.
***
By Prince Poppycock April 6, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Oh Gary?????
By Asha April 6, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Why is she wearing a sari and bindi? I thought she is a methodist?
By fitsnews April 6, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Asha:
That is Simran Singh, the governor’s “guru” sister and fellow tax delinquent.
Read more about her below …
http://www.fitsnews.com/2010/10/19/haleys-guru-sister-filed-taxes-late/
And here’s some info on her husband, Dr. Gunjit “Rick” Singh, who like the governor’s hubby makes bank off the government …
http://www.fitsnews.com/2011/03/21/how-nikki-haleys-family-rolls/
-FITS
By Gary April 6, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Another bogus story based on lies, innuendo, rumor mongering and so called anonymous sources in your continuous and shameless jihad against Haley and her family.
Why these so called congregation members ( God knows even if they are even real ) are not coming forward openly to report their charges in writing to the management committee. Why these complaints to Fitsnews whose biased and made up stories against Haley is a daily ritual? Obviously either they do not exist or they are cowards and have a personal grudge or jealous of the family success.
Haley had quit temple when she married almost 12-13 years ago and as per my inquiries had absolutely NO role in maintaining the books. In fact the family has generously donated land and money for the temple. But this whole story ( like the previous ones) is written solely to blame Haley and defame her family based on so called anonymous sources and your own fantasies. Even the Feds involvement IF TRUE must have come because of the lies and constant propaganda by your web site.
By Prince Poppycock April 6, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Tweaking that last frazzled nerve?????
By Asha April 6, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Did Nikki quit the temple because of her many boyfriends?
By Maxwell April 6, 2011 at 2:46 pm
Gary – Don’t forget, Nikki doesn’t have a password because it is the name of her high school. That doesn’t count, right?
By Joe Citizen April 6, 2011 at 2:50 pm
A CPA, attorney or “enrolled agent” signing as “tax preparer” the organization’s tax return, for money or for free, faces stiff Treasury Dept. sanctions outlined in “Circular 230.”
See http://www.taxalmanac.org/index.php/Treasury_and_IRS_Revise_Circular_230_for_Tax_Professionals
This includes “contingent fees, conflicts of interest, lack of due diligence, standards with respect to tax returns and documents, affidavits and other papers, sanctions, discovery” and other minor details.
By jim lewis April 6, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Ajit is crazy as a shit house rat(thanks to The Dick, I do like this one) if he thinks he can hide under Dooh Nibor’s skirt on this one. Reckon if Ajit, the Invincible, packs up his wagon and gets the hell out of Dodge before the Marshall rides in we will know that Gary is full of Sikh Shit.
Also nice of Gary to acknowledge that willie has the “power” to command the Feds to investigate. Beats the hell out of Eunuch Timmy’s power to command SLED to investigate.
As for this jihad business, I didn’t know a bisexual WASP could jihad.
Roll on Gypsy Queen Dooh Nibor, roll on.
By south mauldin April 6, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Oh Gary, you are Nimrata’s version of Baghdad Bob. Remember him, the clown that said during the Iraq invasion that hundreds of American soldiers were committing suicide at the city gates? You keep defending her yet you are beginning to realize how much of a fraud she is.
I suppose you can defend her hiring of her chief of staff’s wife for a newly created yet undefined position with the PRT while she keeps bullshitting about downsizing government. I didn’t think you could.
By Andy April 6, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Just like everything else Sic writes about Nikki, this will go nowhere. Don’t get me wrong, I wish it was otherwise, it just isn’t.
By cash April 6, 2011 at 3:20 pm
If you think this is good, wait ’til the the investigation of Exotica…the “family” business. Things are not always what they seem to be.
By Rapture April 6, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Geez Gary, ever wipe down that monitor after you spray shit all over it ranting about the poor innocent Gypsy Queen Nookie Dooh Nibor???
By Rex April 6, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Andy – You gotta believe the Haley Camp Pucker Factor is increasing everyday. It’s almost locked down tighter than Ft. Knox.
By 803andy April 6, 2011 at 3:29 pm
@Rapture
Nookie will now be Nikki’s nickname; Nookie Haley.
By Gary April 6, 2011 at 3:42 pm
This web site is a propaganda network against Haley. On March 21st 2011 I had written a detailed reply in the comments column on Green Lamborghini Of Dr. Rick Singh and other silly and baseless charges against Haley family by this web site. But today I find those comments have been removed. That day as an exception I had saved the original post with those remarks.
In spite of differences with Si and I had on many occasions, I have admired his talents and his willingness to publish remarks critical of him. I have not checked the other old comments, but this particular post/comments of mine which totally exposed his baseless insinuations and fabrications against Haley and her family have been removed. Can Sic explain please??
Regarding hiring of Haley’s chief of staff’s wife or other minor favors that may or may not have happened, as have been raised by some people on this post…I look at it in the overall context instead of nit picking every minor inconsequential nonsense.. No one is perfect and least of all our politicians. Although his wife is independently well qualified for the job, it is possible that she got it because she is well connected.
I can point out a million favors ( much bigger and worth BILLIONS OF DOLLARS) to their friends and allies by Reagen, Bush senior, Bush junior, Clinton and now Obama. And these things will continue to happen. This is part of our political culture.
By Burns April 6, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Did Nikki quit the temple because of her many boyfriends?
Nikki quit temple just as Katon quit Forest Lake Country Club!
By cash April 6, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Do they allow turbans in prison? Does anybody know?
By Prince Poppycock April 6, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Snap….there goes Gary’s last nerve. Yup, can’t forget the rehash of Sic having great talent, but is wasting it…..on….yada yada yada.
By jim lewis April 6, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Gee Gary somebody got your nuts in a Burdizzo.
Just in case you don’t know. A burdizzo is a castration device which employs a large clamp designed to break the blood vessels leading into the testicles. Once the blood supply to the testicles is lost, testicular necrosis occurs, and the testicles shrink, soften, and eventually deteriorate completely. When the device is used the operator crushes the spermatic cords one at a time, leaving a space in between in order to maintain uninterrupted blood-flow to the scrotum.
Now this is not what happened to Eunuchs Timmy, Cooper and Bingham. Bloody Eleanor went the old fashion route. She took out her Jackknife,a cutting device with one or more cutting blades, and simply cut the nuts off those boys. Gave them a bottle of Witch Hazel, some Q Tips and told them to suck it up and walk it off.
By Ramon April 6, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Gary – You know Nikki likes to ride horses??? Right????
By Wicked April 6, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Timmy has no nuts??? No wonder Nikki got confused.
By Bagman April 6, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Sic, this Gary prick is asking you for an explanation. Do you know him? Funny he brings up the green Lambo.
By Curious April 6, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Nikki’s sister is kinda pretty and has beautiful hair.
I wonder if she’s married and makes out with other men at night in the back seat of her car parked at restaurants.
Like Nikki.
By The Coincidence April 6, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Wait….Gary, I remember that article. You didn’t write crap, cos if you had, Mr. Poppycock would have jumped your ass, and I would have had another healthy belly laugh. Didn’t happen. Wrong again you fucktard.
By Wacko April 6, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Ooooooo, don’t forget the dry humping. Sic says she was riding the trail. Simran is pretty, is she still Sikh?
By Rijiv April 6, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Surely, Eleanor doesn’t frequent the OWB’s wing joint. That would be tonight.
By cash April 6, 2011 at 4:47 pm
Wacko, they’re all Sikh. Some deny it, however, the whole family is Sikh.
By Asha April 6, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Nikki has many men and shaves…..not Sikh custom.
By Sick of Pandering April 6, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Gary,
“I can point out a million favors ( much bigger and worth BILLIONS OF DOLLARS) to their friends and allies by Reagen, Bush senior, Bush junior, Clinton and now Obama. And these things will continue to happen. This is part of our political culture.”
So now it’s ok to do all the things that Nikki campaigned against with the “I am an outsider,” because everybody else does it. Boy, that line of reasoning never worked with my parents but I guess it’s ok for Nikki! I thought Nikki was going to change that culture. The fact is that she is the most political governor that SC has seen in years ’cause it’s all about Nikki!!
By Deepa April 6, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Life inside the temple
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eOtCwUMlKI
By Huhhh??? April 6, 2011 at 9:40 pm
Gary, you are a besotted fool. Indian and Indian-American groups follow Trikki’s career very closely and print stories about her children going to temple. I will not reveal source at this time for fear of information disappearing, but I will go back to it and provide links.
She is Methodist for political purposes, you poor, poor fool.
Sick of Pandering, she’s going to turn out to be the most corrupt politician ever elected governor of this state.. That should have been very clear from the “consulting” aka legislator as paid lobbyist. She will be indicted before, well before the end of her term – you notice I don’t say “first” – and what will Timmy do then? Maybe go to prison with her? Oh, I hope so.
Oh, I also hope the other consulting, lobbying legislators go to jail with her. I never thought she was smart enough to come up with the scam herself. It has to be widespread throughout the State House. The press probably knows about it but is scared of losing sources.
By FITS Gals April 6, 2011 at 10:25 pm
@Gary,
Please feel free to repost your comment on the other article you said was deleted. To our knowledge we have never deleted any of your comments nor any others, unless requested by the person who commented in the first place.
As a general rule of thumb ALL comments are approved. In fact, we recently lifted the “moderating” of comments because of the volume of comments we receive daily, it was impossible to read and manually approve all of them and sucked too much time out of our day. So, anything you post should automatically appear.
One of the few instances we will review and manually approve a comment, i.e. moderating, is if there is a hyperlink, we want to be sure it isn’t spam.
Again, as a rule, we do not EVER delete a person’s comment. It could have also gotten caught in the spam filter… So, comment away!
xoxo,
FITS Gals
By Gary April 6, 2011 at 11:21 pm
Sick Of Pandering
I did not say Nikki did any favors or I am in any way justifying any such actions by any one. I am merely pointing out that almost all politicians have been doing it for as long as i can remember and will continue to do so it in future. That is the nature of the politics. But what I see here is a motivated crusade against Haley and specially her family most of it based on innuendo, rumors and outright fabrication.
Has she made mistakes…absolutely. we all do
Is she perfect…no…But let us look ourselves in the mirror and see our faults before nit picking every minor inconsequential misstep. No one objects to constructive criticism in a civilized language and honest disagreement with her policies.
By Prince Poppycock April 7, 2011 at 6:34 am
Well Gary……..so that is your line of justification. “Everybody’s doing it……..Nobody’s perfect”……….Freak.
By cash April 7, 2011 at 9:43 am
Gary, are you Simran??? You write as she would.
By Prince Poppycock April 7, 2011 at 11:10 am
That would be quite amusing, but I believe Gary is some NE political hack with a man crush on Mitt.
By Prince Poppycock April 7, 2011 at 11:11 am
Gary pops a chubby every time Mitt walks into the room. Can’t even stand up.
By Gary April 7, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Prince Popcock
No there is no justification for favoritism and I never said that Haley favored any one. What I am saying is that it is political culture ( we can debate about it if it is right or wrong) where you fight elections, you win and you bring your team which helped you win.
Bush brought all his buddies from Texas, Obama brought all his people from Chicago including her family friend Valerie Jarret who is his senior most adviser. So what is the big deal if Nikki Haley also brought her own people in to the administration ? Why this CONSTANT nit picking on minor silly things?
By cash April 7, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Embezzlement and falsification of tax records are not “silly things”.
By Rapine April 7, 2011 at 3:37 pm
” . . . you win and you bring your team which helped you win.”
Imagine. The wife of the governor’s chief of staff is considered by Gary to be part of a political team. And this is why she gets a cushy job at the taxpayer’s expense.
And talking about it is “nit picking” on “minor silly things.”
Gary, there’s a word for followers like you.
And that word is “delusional.”
By lcbow April 7, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Yesterday I made a comment on yahoo news (political section) in regards to Michelle Bachman hoping to snare trikki nikki’s endorsement. i stated that endorsement may not mean so much if our girl is implicated in any of these charges and made reference to the rumors. When i googled Sikh Religious Society of South Carolina yesterday, fitsnews came up as the fourth website on this topic related to the article above. I just googled the society a minute ago for someone and you’re no where to be found…made it all the way through page twelve on yahoo and you’ve vanished…what’s going on here sic? i understand the search engine mechanism based on hits- just can’t believe you went from #4 on page one to “nowhere to be found” overnight. who is at work here…incompetent yahoo or something much more sinister…you be the judge…:)
By cash April 8, 2011 at 9:22 am
Embezzlement and tax fraud should not be taken lightly. Just my opinion.
By querying April 11, 2011 at 7:55 am
It hasn’t been with Chris Crawford – thanks FITS now lets see that this is followed up on – haven’t seen much of anything i local newspapers – guess thats why they are having trouble getting readers – no REAL investigative journalism except here!
By cash April 11, 2011 at 11:37 am
What is a muslim to do?
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