By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
R&B great Lauryn Hill recently announced that she inked a deal with Sony to release new music.,but by the looks of the statement she put out on her Tumblr blog, the deal seemed more like a calculated move to get money to pay off her taxes and possibly avoid jail time in lieu of her legal troubles surrounding her failure to pay off her debt to the IRS. Just hours after the singer released new music (which has been met by lots of disappointment from loyal fans), reports confirm Lauryn has also just paid over $900,000 in taxes. AM New York reports:
Lauryn Hill, on the eve of her scheduled sentencing on federal tax evasion charges, has paid off the balance of more than $900,000 she owed in back taxes and penalties, her attorney said on Sunday.
The Grammy-winning musician is scheduled for sentencing on Monday in U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey on three charges she failed to file tax returns on more than $1.8 million between 2005 and 2007.
She faces up to a year in jail for each charge, but the final sentence is expected to be adjusted based on her repayment of the money, her attorney said.
She owed at least $504,000 in federal back taxes as well as state taxes and penalties that brought the estimated total to more than $900,000.
“Ms Hill has not only now fully paid prior to sentencing her taxes, which are part of her criminal restitution, but she has additionally fully paid her federal and state personal taxes for the entire period under examination through 2009,” her attorney, Nathan Hochman, said in an email.
That’s all her new deal with Sony was about. She has kids tho, so I get it.
Exactly.
Should’ve just paid her taxes to begin with. #shrugs
As much as I respect Lauryn, this is what annoys me. She is so conscious in her music, but makes terrible choices in her real life.
I hope everything works out for her…
I’m glad she getting her taxes straight but something is off with Lauryn. That song she just released is evident that something ain’t right. That damn song made my head hurt. I’m pulling for Lauryn though too much talent not to make a great comeback.
I love her but she’s a nut. I don’t think we will get anymore classic music from her ever again.
Hopefully she can avoid jail but her reason for not paying her taxes in the first place was dumb as hell! Get it together Lauryn!
Two organizations you can’t play games with: The IRS and the POLICE!
Good for her. Too bad her new song is a mess though.