Is This How the Rich and Famous Got Rich? Celebrities and Their Aversion to Paying Taxes

Many celebrities have found themselves in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. Some have made small mistakes; others were blatantly disregarding the law. Perfect example is Richard Hatch, the first winner of "Survivor" who appeared naked the first season. Hatch won $1 million but never reported the money even though millions saw him win on television.
Hatch is currently serving at a West Virginia federal prison.

That is just an example it gets better. Actor Wesley Snipes has charges against him because he claimed nearly $12 million in refunds for 1996 and 1997. Snipes supposedly never filed returns for 1999 through 2004.

Joe Francis "Girls Gone Wild" creator was indicted this week for federal tax evasion. He is charged with deducting more than $20 million in false a business expenses.

In addition, those that overlooked jail time was singer Marc Anthony who will be paying back about $2.5 million in taxes and interest and penalties because of his failure to file for five years. Marc Anthony avoided prosecution claiming that he had professional accountants doing his taxes.

Now, the strange and unusual in Hollywood is the Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss who was arrested in 1993. Most of Hollywood was living on the edge of fear thinking that Fleiss would have to turn over her "little black book" which has clients many in Hollywood as evidence in her case. I suppose fortunately for some that did not happen. Instead, Fleiss served 21 months behind bars for money laundering and tax evasion.

Not just Hollywood actors are among the list of tax evaders sports figures, actors, singers and real estate developers. Of course, some tend to get in trouble more than others do. It all comes down to attitude. Some celebrities just have complete disregard when it comes down to taking responsibility for what they do or rather what they do not do.

Radio host Lee Anthony Mroszak knows as the "Crazy Cabbie" went on the Howard Stern show talked about how he committed fraud with his taxes. The U.S. District Judge John Gleason was infuriated by this. During sentencing, he said to Mroszak, "You publicly thumbed your nose at the government,"

It is not always those in the Hollywood, there are also private individuals that claim to have "special circumstances".

According to The Grand Rapids Press, Daniel Calkins from Michigan said that that the internal revenue service only has offices in Washington DC. Outside of DC, their offices do not exist. Calkins family was recently charged with tax fraud earlier this month. Calkins says, "They do not play the game fair and they intimidate people worse than Russia and Nazi Germany."

Sources:
Scott Mayerowitz, ABC News Business Unit "They May Be Rich and Famous, but Do They Pay Their Taxes?" abcnews.com
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/FunMoney/story?id=3038945&page=2