10-50.  Violations and penalties.  

When the amount due is under $300, any distributor who fails to file a return, willfully fails or refuses to make any payment to the Department of the tax imposed by this Act, or files a fraudulent return, or any officer or agent of a corporation engaged in the business of distributing tobacco products to retailers and consumers located in this State who signs a fraudulent return filed on behalf of the corporation, or any accountant or other agent who knowingly enters false information on the return of any taxpayer under this Act is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

Any person who violates any provision of Section 10-20, 10-21, or 10-22 of this Act, fails to keep books and records as required under this Act, or willfully violates a rule or regulation of the Department for the administration and enforcement of this Act is guilty of a Class 4 felony.  A person commits a separate offense on each day that he or she engages in business in violation of Section 10-20, 10-21, or 10-22 of this Act.  If a person fails to produce the books and records for inspection by the Department upon request, a prima facie presumption shall arise that the person has failed to keep books and records as required under this Act.  A person who is unable to rebut this presumption is in violation of this Act and is subject to the penalties provided in this Section.
When the amount due is under $300, any person who accepts money that is due to the Department under this Act from a taxpayer for the purpose of acting as the taxpayer's agent to make the payment to the Department, but who fails to remit the payment to the Department when due, is guilty of a Class 4 felony.
Any person who violates any provision of Sections 10-20, 10-21 and 10-22 of this Act, fails to keep books and records as required under this Act, or willfully violates a rule or regulation of the Department for the administration and enforcement of this Act is guilty of a business offense and may be fined up to $5,000. If a person fails to produce books and records for inspection by the Department upon request, a prima facie presumption shall arise that the person has failed to keep books and records as required under this Act.  A person who is unable to rebut this presumption is in violation of this Act and is subject to the penalties provided in this Section.  A person commits a separate offense on each day that he or she engages in business in violation of Sections 10-20, 10-21 and 10-22 of this Act.
When the amount due is $300 or more, any distributor who files, or causes to be filed, a fraudulent return, or any officer or agent of a corporation engaged in the business of distributing tobacco products to retailers and consumers located in this State who files or causes to be filed or signs or causes to be signed a fraudulent return filed on behalf of the corporation, or any accountant or other agent who knowingly enters false information on the return of any taxpayer under this Act is guilty of a Class 3 felony.
When the amount due is $300 or more, any person engaged in the business of distributing tobacco products to retailers and consumers located in this State who fails to file a return, willfully fails or refuses to make any payment to the Department of the tax imposed by this Act, or accepts money that is due to the Department under this Act from a taxpayer for the purpose of acting as the taxpayer's agent to make payment to the Department but fails to remit such payment to the Department when due is guilty of a Class 3 felony.
When the amount due is under $300, any retailer who fails to file a return, willfully fails or refuses to make any payment to the Department of the tax imposed by this Act, or files a fraudulent return, or any officer or agent of a corporation engaged in the retail business of selling tobacco products to purchasers of tobacco products for use and consumption located in this State who signs a fraudulent return filed on behalf of the corporation, or any accountant or other agent who knowingly enters false information on the return of any taxpayer under this Act is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for each subsequent offense.
When the amount due is $300 or more, any retailer who fails to file a return, willfully fails or refuses to make any payment to the Department of the tax imposed by this Act, or files a fraudulent return, or any officer or agent of a corporation engaged in the retail business of selling tobacco products to purchasers of tobacco products for use and consumption located in this State who signs a fraudulent return filed on behalf of the corporation, or any accountant or other agent who knowingly enters false information on the return of any taxpayer under this Act is guilty of a Class 4 felony.
Any person whose principal place of business is in this State and who is charged with a violation under this Section shall be tried in the county where his or her principal place of business is located unless he or she asserts a right to be tried in another venue.  If the taxpayer does not have his or her principal place of business in this State, however, the hearing must be held in Sangamon County unless the taxpayer asserts a right to be tried in another venue.
Any taxpayer or agent of a taxpayer who with the intent to defraud purports to make a payment due to the Department by issuing or delivering a check or other order upon a real or fictitious depository for the payment of money, knowing that it will not be paid by the depository, is guilty of a deceptive practice in violation of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012.   1
A prosecution for a violation described in this Section may be commenced within 3 years after the commission of the act constituting the violation.