Hip-hop star Fat Joe pleaded guilty Thursday to nearly $3 million of federal tax evasion, Billboard reported. The rapper, real name Joseph Cartagena, failed to pay taxes on income he earned over two years for concerts and music royalties and could now face up to two years in prison, as well as penalties from the IRS.
As Cartagena appeared in a Newark, N.J. federal courtroom, he admitted that he had not filed tax returns for the years 2007 and 2008. During that time period, New Jersey federal prosecutors alleged the star had received money from concerts and music sales royalties that amounted to gross income in excess of $1.3 million during 2007 and more than $1.4 million in gross income during 2008.
The artist also had gross incomes of $320,000 in 2009 and $680,000 in 2010, officials said. However, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors he is only being held accountable for failing to file tax forms for 2007 and 2008. He made the plea in federal court because some of the companies he earned money from are incorporated in New Jersey.
After everything is accounted for, federal prosecutors said Cartagena cost the U.S. government $718,038.
Asked by U.S. Magistrate Cathy Waldor in court if he understood the charges he was facing, Cartagena replied, "I super-understand it."
"'Fat Joe' has taken responsibility for his tax failures. He hopes to repay his tax indebtedness," said the rapper's defense attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman. He added that his client "had already taken steps to resolve this situation" before he had been charged, and said the musician hoped to pay back the taxes by his April 3 sentencing.
Cartagena was released on $250,000 bail. His sentencing will reportedly take into consideration the government's initial allegation that he failed to pay income taxes for years 2007 through 2010.
Best known for hit singles like "What's Luv?," "Make It Rain" and "Lean Back" with Terror Squad, Cartagena released his last album, "The Darkside Vol. 1," in 2010.
Fat Joe is just the latest celebrity to run into trouble with the IRS.
Earlier in December, the IRS hit actress Pamela Anderson with a double tax lien totaling over $300,000, according to TMZ. Different branches of the government filed the tax liens, the Daily Mail said.
The first tax lien was filed by the IRS and will set Anderson back $259,395.75. The State of California also hit the former "Dancing With The Stars" performer with a second tax lien, showing that Anderson owed $112,118.90 in back taxes to the state. The total for both debts comes out to over $370,000. Officials have also put a court order on her Malibu home to prevent her from selling it until the debts are paid back.
Earlier this year Anderson was named among California's Top 500 Delinquent Tax Payers along with singer Lionel Richie.
Lindsay Lohan's accounts were recently seized by the IRS in an effort to recover $233,904 in unpaid taxes from 2009 and 2011 and an unspecified amount from 2011, TMZ.com first reported. The IRS reportedly grew impatient with the sometime actress when she failed to pay her debt after earning a reported $2 million last year.
Gary Busey was struck hard a few weeks ago, too. Even after declaring bankruptcy, the "Silver Bullet" actor was still in massive debt. Busey no longer has to pay $57,303.63 worth of unpaid bills to a host of creditors, but he still owes the IRS $ 451,297.33 in back taxes, according to TMZ.
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