Rapper Fat Joe was sentenced to four months in federal prison and fined $15,000, for failure to file income tax returns on more than $3.3 million in earnings.
Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, pleaded guilty in December to failing to pay taxes on more than $1 million of income he earned between 2007 and 2010. He faced the possibility of serving up to two years in prison, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy Waldor showed the rapper leniency for paying $718,000 in back taxes prior to sentencing and for his charitable work.
The court received more than 60 letters on his behalf, including one from Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz, who cited Cartagena's efforts to donate computers to local schools.
Cartagena apologized to his family and friends, saying he let them down. He said his 6-year-old daughter was being taunted in school by classmates who said her father was going to jail. "There was a lot going on in the years that I didn't file my taxes, but it was my responsibility," he said.
Although he lives in Miami Beach, Mr. Cartagena was prosecuted in New Jersey because he owns corporations based in Somerville from which he received income, including Terror Squad Productions Inc. and Miramar Music Touring Inc.
His attorneys had asked for probation in light of the three-month prison sentence handed down to hip hop artist Lauryn Hill in May on similar tax charges.
Fat Joe was originally charged with failure to file returns from 2007 to 2010 but under a plea agreement the charges were reduced to not filing returns for two years. He's been ordered to turn himself in by August 26.
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