Peter Thomas, a former reality TV star who appeared on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and once owned a restaurant in Baltimore, was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for failing to pay the government more than $2.5 million -dollars paid in payroll taxes.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell Sr. also ordered Thomas to serve two years of supervised release and pay back his money.

Thomas, 64, now of Miami, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, North Carolina, to one count of failing to pay trust fund taxes.

Between 2017 and 2023, Thomas caused Club One CLT, Sports ONE, Sports ONE CLT, PT Media, Bar One Miami Beach and Bar One Baltimore to fail to pay payroll taxes – including more than $1.7 million deducted from his paychecks Workers were withdrawn, federal prosecutors reported.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley pushed for a sentence of at least two years in prison, arguing that Thomas was motivated by greed and continued to violate the law.

Thomas, she said, used the money to “enrich himself personally and to expand and support his other business ventures.”

That includes spending more than $250,000 on “high-end purchases” at companies like Prada, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy.

“Americans are free to spend their money as they see fit, including on business ventures,” Finley wrote in a sentencing memo. “However, they cannot steal other people’s money – in this case, their employees’ payroll taxes – to support their otherwise failing business ventures.”

But C. Melissa Owen, Thomas’ attorney, asked for a prison sentence of one year and one day.

She said her client was “incredibly remorseful for failing to pay trust fund taxes.”

“He is loved and respected by his community. “He is a supportive father and a loyal brother and son,” Owen wrote in a sentencing memo. “He has used his social media platform to encourage others, particularly small business owners, to prioritize their obligations to the IRS.”

A day before the sentencing, Thomas shared on Instagram that he was ready to “face the music” after pleading guilty to tax charges. Reflecting on the fact that it was the 50th anniversary of his arrival in the United States, he remarked, “I didn’t think I would celebrate it like this.” Although he had hoped to settle the matter through a payment plan, he learned that “it doesn’t work like that”.

Thomas warned business owners. “Pay your payroll before you pay your rent because the landlord can kick you out but you don’t have to go to jail. But you’re going to go to jail because you didn’t pay your payroll taxes to the United States government.”

In a video released after the verdict was announced late Thursday afternoon, Thomas thanked his attorney, the judge and the prosecutor, saying “God has blessed me with fair people” and that he was “grateful” for the outcome.

Thomas, Owen said, was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but came to the United States as a baby and grew up mostly in Brooklyn, New York. He managed and owned restaurants and nightclubs for nearly 40 years.

Owen said her client will feel the burden of jail time or prison time.

“Mr. “Thomas is known throughout much of America as the partner of a ‘Real Housewife,’ a reality television character known for a high-end lifestyle,” Owen said. “Watching Mr. Thomas go to federal prison is a stark contrast to this world and a stern message to the public to pay their tax debts.”

At least seven people have submitted character letters on Thomas’ behalf, including Nia Banks, owner and CEO of Art of Balance Wellness Spa in Federal Hill.

Banks wrote that she met Thomas in Baltimore and discussed her efforts to grow Black-owned businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Peter is important to many people, especially his family and his children,” Banks said. “He is a source of inspiration for many in his community who dare to achieve more than what is intended for them. He is a friend and confidant to me.”

“I know Peter is serious about paying off his debts,” she added. “If he has to stop and deal with the consequences of going behind, then let’s keep it short. He still has a lot to do.”

Before One Baltimore bar in Harbor East closed in 2023, Thomas accused his employees of stealing from the business without providing evidence.

Thomas spoke contemptuously of the city and expressed contempt for its black residents.

“There is a big difference between African Americans in Baltimore City and African Americans in Washington, D.C.,” Thomas said, noting that people from the nation’s capital are “much more cosmopolitan.”