Singer Lauryn Hill was sentenced to three months in prison on Monday after telling a judge she intended to pay taxes, but it was just a question of when. Yet Hill isn't the only star with tax problems.
Singer/actress Judy Garland's tax debt forced her to do something she vowed she would never do: host a television show. Reeling from poor ticket sales for "A Star is Born," Garland signed a $24 million deal with CBS for "The Judy Garland Show" in 1962 to pay the IRS for delinquent taxes dating back a decade.
Willie Nelson cleared his $32 million tax debt to the IRS by selling assets and with profits from an album titled "The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories." He discovered in 1990 that his accountants had not fully paid his taxes, a find made tougher by losses from investments in the 1980s.
Baseball legend Pete Rose spent five months in prison for tax evasion convictions in 1990, stemming from money made selling autographs and memorabilia. The tax man returned to his door with a $1 million lien for back taxes in 2004.
Lil' Kim blamed her accountant when her tax troubles arose in 2005. The rapper was still behind in paying the government by more than $1 million in 2012.
While O.J. Simpson has known bigger legal problems, delinquent taxes are on the list. The former football star, who's serving a long prison sentence in Nevada, owed the IRS and state of California hundreds of thousands of dollars for the past decade, according to court documents.
Comedian Sinbad racked up a large unpaid tax bill, owing $8 million in 2009 to the IRS for 1998 to 2006 income, according to an IRS court filing in 2012. California officials also reported he owed that state $2 million. After filing for bankruptcy and selling his home, Sinbad used the tax troubles as material for a reality show.
Nicolas Cage revealed in 2010 that he owed $14 million in back taxes, which he has been working to pay off since. A federal tax lien filed last year said he owed $6.2 million from income in 2007.
Wesley Snipes walked out of a federal prison in April after serving a tax evasion sentence that began in December 2010. He claimed that he was not legally obligated to pay federal taxes, an argument a jury did not buy.
Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon were hit with a federal tax lien in April 2011 on one of their Los Angeles homes that said the couple owed $1.7 million in back taxes from 2008 and 2009. Sharon Osbourne initially blamed an accountant but later took personal responsibility.
Rapper Jeffrey Atkins, also known as Ja Rule, was sentenced to 28 months in prison in July 2011 for failing to file tax returns with the IRS after admitting that he did not file his taxes for five years. According to TMZ, he was released on Tuesday.
Former "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson was hit by a big back tax bill in December, totaling about $370,000.
Dionne Warwick filed for bankruptcy in March, citing more than $10 million in tax debt dating to 1991. Her publicist blamed "negligent and gross financial mismanagement."
"Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss served 20 months of a 37-month sentence in a federal prison for convictions on conspiracy, tax evasion and money laundering relating to a high-priced prostitution ring servicing the rich and famous.
Singer Lauryn Hill was sentenced to three months in prison on Monday after telling a judge she intended to pay taxes, but it was just a question of when. Yet Hill isn't the only star with tax problems.
Singer/actress Judy Garland's tax debt forced her to do something she vowed she would never do: host a television show. Reeling from poor ticket sales for "A Star is Born," Garland signed a $24 million deal with CBS for "The Judy Garland Show" in 1962 to pay the IRS for delinquent taxes dating back a decade.
Willie Nelson cleared his $32 million tax debt to the IRS by selling assets and with profits from an album titled "The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories." He discovered in 1990 that his accountants had not fully paid his taxes, a find made tougher by losses from investments in the 1980s.
Baseball legend Pete Rose spent five months in prison for tax evasion convictions in 1990, stemming from money made selling autographs and memorabilia. The tax man returned to his door with a $1 million lien for back taxes in 2004.
Lil' Kim blamed her accountant when her tax troubles arose in 2005. The rapper was still behind in paying the government by more than $1 million in 2012.
While O.J. Simpson has known bigger legal problems, delinquent taxes are on the list. The former football star, who's serving a long prison sentence in Nevada, owed the IRS and state of California hundreds of thousands of dollars for the past decade, according to court documents.
Comedian Sinbad racked up a large unpaid tax bill, owing $8 million in 2009 to the IRS for 1998 to 2006 income, according to an IRS court filing in 2012. California officials also reported he owed that state $2 million. After filing for bankruptcy and selling his home, Sinbad used the tax troubles as material for a reality show.
Nicolas Cage revealed in 2010 that he owed $14 million in back taxes, which he has been working to pay off since. A federal tax lien filed last year said he owed $6.2 million from income in 2007.
Wesley Snipes walked out of a federal prison in April after serving a tax evasion sentence that began in December 2010. He claimed that he was not legally obligated to pay federal taxes, an argument a jury did not buy.
Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon were hit with a federal tax lien in April 2011 on one of their Los Angeles homes that said the couple owed $1.7 million in back taxes from 2008 and 2009. Sharon Osbourne initially blamed an accountant but later took personal responsibility.
Rapper Jeffrey Atkins, also known as Ja Rule, was sentenced to 28 months in prison in July 2011 for failing to file tax returns with the IRS after admitting that he did not file his taxes for five years. According to TMZ, he was released on Tuesday.
Former "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson was hit by a big back tax bill in December, totaling about $370,000.
Dionne Warwick filed for bankruptcy in March, citing more than $10 million in tax debt dating to 1991. Her publicist blamed "negligent and gross financial mismanagement."
"Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss served 20 months of a 37-month sentence in a federal prison for convictions on conspiracy, tax evasion and money laundering relating to a high-priced prostitution ring servicing the rich and famous.
