Spinner

Celebrity Tax Evasion: Musicians Who Got Caught by the Taxman

George Harrison seemed like the gentle Beatle, but even he reserved special animosity for the one figure we all love to hate -- the taxman. Here's a list of vocalists, from Nas to Luciano Pavarotti, who have sung the blues over their failure to pay their back taxes.

Nas

In October 2009, the Queens, N.Y. rapper was reportedly charged with neglecting to pay taxes in 2006 and 2007, and has been socked with a lien of more than $2.5 million. Nas' financial standing is definitely looking a bit 'Illmatic' these days: While Uncle Sam is dipping into one pocket, ex-wife Kelis is yanking alimony payments to the tune of $55,000 a month out the other.





Willie Nelson

When the Red-Headed Stranger was hit with more than $16 million in tax debt in 1990, he signed over to the Internal Revenue Service the profits from a new album, 'The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories?' He'd already recorded an appropriate pop standard, 'All of Me': "Why not take all of me?"






Ron Isley

When the Isley Brothers urged us to 'Fight the Power,' we didn't think they meant "Don't file your 1040 tax form." Singer Ron Isley was sentenced to three years in prison in 2006 for more than $3 million he owed the IRS. The term "serial tax avoider" was not inappropriate, said the judge. Isley is due for release in April 2010.






Judy Garland

Judy, Judy, Judy: The divine Miss Garland lived out of hotels after admitting she owed more than $4 million in arrears. When the taxman came knocking in 1967, the financially troubled songbird might have hummed a few bars of 'I Can't Give You Anything but Love.'








Jerry Lee Lewis

The Killer was about to go to prison for a crime of another sort when he was assessed with $560,000 in overdue tax debt in 1984. Cutting a deal with the government, Lewis set up a phone number charging callers $2.75 a minute to hear stories of his first date and his childhood fight with a schoolteacher. We're guessing mathematics class.






Lil' Kim

The diminutive rapper with the hefty assets found herself uncomfortably exposed when the IRS charged her with nearly $1 million in back taxes in 2005. At her trial, the defendant surprised the judge with the news that she'd worked for tax preparers H&R Block in her years before stardom.






Marc Anthony

When tax collectors informed J-Lo's husband he owed $2.5 million for unpaid taxes from 2000 to 2004, the gaunt singer claimed ignorance, saying he had no idea his accountants had failed to pay. Apparently, when it comes to his finances, he's not on a 'Need to Know' basis.







James Brown

From the late 1960s till his death in 2006, the Godfather of Soul grappled with the US government over millions of dollars in back taxes. He used twisted logic to argue that he shouldn't have to pay: Since he never got a proper education, he reasoned, "they have no legal boundaries over me." The Feds weren't buying it -- they still expected the big 'Payback.'






Method Man

When the Wu-Tang Clan rapper had his luxury SUV repossessed in March 2009 over his failure to pay $33,000 in back taxes, he claimed his chronic pot smoking made him forgetful. In October '09, Mef turned himself in to the police, whose pursuit of the delinquent rapper has been Methodical.






Chuck Berry

The rock 'n' roll pioneer was sentenced to four months in jail and a thousand hours of community service in 1979 when Uncle Sam brought the hammer down for evading $200,000 in taxes – the same year old softie Jimmy Carter invited the artful dodger to play at the White House.






Luciano Pavarotti

There was high drama when the celebrated operatic tenor was hit for multiple millions in unpaid taxes in 1999 and again in 2001. The big man agreed to pay the Italian government 24 million lire, then was acquitted of charges that he filed false returns. You know what they say about death and taxes: It ain't over until the fat man sings.





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daniel

Ah, it's April 15th again. After turning in our taxes, some of us will get money back from the IRS. Others, including most musicians (and freelance writers), have to pay the IRS money because their employers don't take money out.

Either way, the IRS notices they're being cheated, and they bring the hammer down hard. After all, they are stone-face unimpressed by fame and fortune. In honor of everyone's least favorite day, MOG breaks down the stories of five unbelievably famous musicians who tried, but ultimately couldn't escape Uncle Sam's all-seeing eye.

http://mog.com/MOG_Features/blog/1906327

April 15 2010 at 1:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bilbo

Who are all of you people????

October 25 2009 at 5:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mark turner

Silence! I KEEL you!

October 25 2009 at 5:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mark turner

"SILENCE!....I KEEL you!"

October 25 2009 at 4:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nancy

I think that "muslim" woman needs to call a dating service.

October 25 2009 at 2:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lostinram

Actually, the worst President ever in the United States History is George W. Bush. No other President has flagrantly committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against the United States of America.
He committed perjury lying to the American people and the world. He started a war, with a country that was no imminent threat, murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent people. (e took our economy from having the highest surplus to the highest deficit) He took away civil liberties, illegally wiretapped citizens, and illegally held citizens and non-citizens in jails without due process ( illegally holding them with no access to lawyers, held without bail, without trials ), approved of torture violating the Geneva Convention, and ethical moral standards which once made this country great. Not to mention the fact that his torture neither prevented any attacks, nor caused anyone in this country to be safer because of it.

October 25 2009 at 1:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mary Hood

I think the irs should focus on the obummer administration and leave the citizens of the United States of America alone. There is so much corruption in Washington to keep them busy for ever.

October 25 2009 at 1:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JT

King of Stone Mountain, I am the Emporer of
Stone Mountain (and Pine Lake, right outside of Stone Mountain, Ga.). Not only was Jimmy Carter an old softie, he was inept, incompetent, and a disgrace to the office of the president. Just to set the record straight before you go off on me for being a right-winger, etc. I despised George Bush as well for the fact that I considered him to be the republican equivelent of Carter. I find it amusing how democrats and republicans think their politicians are superior to the other side's and that they have some moral or political superiority to the other side. In fact, neither the democrats or the republicans hold political power in this country. It is the INDEPENDENTS. WE elect presidents after your two parties present them. Once again, Carter will go down in history as one of the very WORST presidents we've ever had...along with Bush. Live with it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>King of Stone Mountain
at 10-25-2009"Spinner Staff" (or whomever you are...), Where do you get off labeling the former President Jimmy Carter as "an old softie?" Those typical remarks only leak from one side of the aisle. Not that any of you are ever biased about anyone or anything, that is...until you lose an election.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

October 25 2009 at 1:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
midvaltaxser

"mark turner" not funny. I don't think the families and
Americans that were affected on 911 find any humor in your remarks. As to Jimmy Carter, yes he will probably go down as the worst President. How many remember the long lines trying to get gas because he thought it was a "good" idea to ration gas or his "fire side chats" an
idea which he borrowed from FDR. His recent comments
explaining Obama is criticized because he is African-American only solidifies what his historical ranking as
a President.

October 25 2009 at 1:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Be

Sadly, only the Blacks with tax problems seems to have been hit with serious trials and jail time. Why not one rule for all?

October 25 2009 at 1:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply