Tax fraud is a charge that has gotten millions of Americans in trouble with the government, and celebrities are no exception—in fact, some would argue that they’re even more susceptible to it.
Whether it’s a matter of negligence, oversight, or deliberate evasion, this list of celebs had to pay their IOUs to the IRS with not just fines, but also hard time…
CELEBS CONVICTED OF TAX FRAUD
Lauryn Hill
Source: picture alliance / Getty
Ms. Lauryn Hill was given a three-month prison sentence in 2013 after failing to pay around $1.8 million in taxes from 2005 to 2007.
Wesley Snipes
Source: Eric Charbonneau / Getty
Snipes was convicted of three misdemeanor charges related to failure to submit tax returns from 1999 to 2001, according to People, racking up $41 million in tax debt. He was acquitted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and filing a false claim for a $7 million refund, as well as additional charges that he hadn’t filed returns from 2002 to 2004. He received a three-year federal prison sentence, which he completed from 2010 to 2013.
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Peter Thomas
Source: Jason LaVeris / Getty
This RHOA Alum was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to failure to pay over trust fund taxes after prosecutors said he evaded more than $2 million in employment taxes for several of his businesses between 2017 to 2023.
Ja Rule
Source: @Nia_Noelle / Nia Noelle
In March 2011, the ‘Thug Lovin’ rapper pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to file a tax return and agreed to pay over $1.1 million in tax debts. He was sentenced to 28 months in prison for the offense but served more time (due to additional charges regarding weapons).
Fat Joe
Source: Manny Hernandez / Getty
In 2012, rapper Fat Joe pled guilty to two counts of failing to file taxes on more than $3 million in income, as reported Reuters. His four-month 2013 sentencing happened just after he reportedly paid $718,000 in back taxes.
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