Ja Rule Nailed For Tax Evasion

Rappers in trouble for not paying taxes? Nah, it couldn’t be! To the surprise of no one, another rapper is in trouble. Ja Rule has been nailed for tax evasion on three million in earnings.

If you ask someone who is likely to be involved in tax evasion cases, you get answers along the lines of foreign bankers on little islands, actors, athletes and rappers. Despite making huge amounts of money, they seem to continually find ways to get in trouble with the tax authorities. 

In the case of Ja Rule, the actor/rapper failed to report roughly three million in earnings from music royalties and concerts between 2004 and 2006. This was arguably earned during the height of his popularity. Tax records show his earnings have fallen from any millions a year to many thousands since then. 

The Ja Rule plea agreement is hardly a surprising headline these days. You can expect to keep seeing things along this line in the news. Why? The federal government is dead broke. Given this, the IRS has been charged by Congress with the task of going after tax evaders aggressively. Very aggressively. Audits of the wealthy are up in a big way and will continue to be since this is where the most money can be gained for the minimum of work. 

So, what will happen to Ja Rule? Will it be a “pay a fine” situation? No, he isn’t getting off that easy. Not by a long shot. Ja Rule will be facing a very hefty fine with penalties and interest, but also a jail term of up to three years. This sentence will be served concurrently with a sentence for another crime, so there is no way he is escaping time in the grey motel on this one.