The rapper turned himself in to federal authorities on Thursday, July 13 on charges of tax fraud as he owes $1.7 million in taxes to the IRS.
- Jul 14, 2017
AceShowbiz - DMX's attempt to avoid paying taxes has been caught by the IRS. The rapper turned himself in to federal authorities on Thursday, July 13 on charges of tax fraud. According to the indictment, the star whose real name is Earl Simmons is alleged to have concealed millions of dollars of income from the IRS and failed to pay $1.7 million in taxes from 2002 to 2005.
"For years, Earl Simmons, the recording artist and performer known as DMX, made millions from his chart-topping songs, concert performances and television shows," Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said in a statement. "But while raking in millions from his songs, including his 2003 hit 'X Gon' Give it to Ya,' DMX didn't give any of it to the IRS. Far from it, DMX allegedly went out of his way to evade taxes, including by avoiding personal bank accounts, setting up accounts in other's names and paying personal expenses largely in cash."
Kim added, "He even allegedly refused to tape the television show 'Celebrity Couples Therapy' until a properly issued check he was issued was reissued without withholding any taxes. Celebrity rapper or not, all Americans must pay their taxes, and together with our partners at the IRS, we will pursue those who deliberately and criminally evade this basic obligation of citizenship."
It's also alleged that DMX filed a false affidavit in U.S. Bankruptcy Court that listed his income as "unknown" for 2011 and 2012 and as $10,000 for 2013, while he was believed to receive hundreds of dollars of income in each of those years.
DMX was charged with 14 counts, including "one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of Internal Revenue Laws, one count of evasion of payment of income taxes, six counts of evasion of assessment of income tax liability, and six counts of failure to file a U.S. individual income tax return."
The 46-year-old will be presented Friday in Manhattan federal court before United States Judge Andrew J. Peck.
DMX has had a long history of having a brush with the law. He had at least 15 driving arrests and other arrests ranging from drug possession, DUI, theft and animal cruelty to probation violations, aggravated assault, failure to pay child support, possession of a weapon and more.
