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Stars Busted for Tax Evasion Over the Years: Photos of Shakira & More

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September 29, 2022 10:15AM EDT
celebs tax fraud gallery
JM HAEDRICH/SIPA/Shutterstock

Some of the most famous people may have millions of dollars but that doesn’t mean they are above the law. Here are the celebrities who have been accused of evading taxes throughout the years.

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Shakira & More Stars Called Out For Tax Evasion

Shakira & More Stars Called Out For Tax Evasion
Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock/Shutterstock / s_bukley

So many celebrities have been accused of tax evasion, from Shakira’s most recent scandal to Martha Stewart’s 2002 case. Despite maybe having millions of dollars, these celebrities have still tried to pocket a couple more over their careers. Evading taxes can have different consequences depending on the country or region where the crime has taken place.

Tax evasion has happened all over Hollywood from actors, and singers, to even soccer players like Lionel Messi. Many of these celebrities on this list have also faced prison time for not reporting their income or hiding their cash in off-shore accounts. Although some have been charged with tax fraud, many of them still cling to their innocence and claim that they did not commit fraud.

When it comes to the law it doesn’t matter how famous you are, the government will come to collect their cash. In many instances, some of these celebrities even worked out deals to pay off their debts rather than facing time behind bars. Click through the slideshow to see which of your favorite stars have committed fraud.

July 29, 2022, 12:09PM
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Shakira

Shakira
Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Shakira, 46, was revealed to be accused of tax fraud per court documents revealed on July 29, 2022. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer rejected a plea deal, per Reuters. A judge ordered the case to trial on Sep. 27, 2022, meaning she could face up to eight years in a Spanish prison.

Court filings reveal that Shakira is being accused of defrauding the Spanish government of 14.5 million euros ($15 million) in taxes. She reportedly lived in the country from 2012 to 2014, although Shakira is denying these claims.

The mom-of-two issued her first public statement on the matter in July, saying “The prosecutor’s office has resorted to wrongful means to apply pressure—just as they do daily and unjustly with thousands of taxpayers for profit.”

Most recently, Shakira was charged with tax fraud in Spain for a second time on Septemeber 26, 2023. Prosecutors in Spain alleged that the singer has failed to pay over $7 million in taxable income from 2018. She is set to be tried in court for the 2022 charges on November 20, 2023.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Todd Chrisley & Julie Chrisley

Todd Chrisley & Julie Chrisley
AFF-USA/Shutterstock

“Chrisley Knows Best” stars Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie Chrisley were found guilty on all charges in regards to tax fraud back in June 2022, Cinema Blend reports. The couple was charged with tax evasion as the court found that they swindled $30 million from community banks over many years.

In total, the couple had 12 counts charged against them, including Julie’s charges of wire fraud and obstruction of justice. They were first indicted in August 2019 and convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Joe Guidice & Teresa Guidice

Joe Guidice & Teresa Guidice
John Barrett/Shutterstock

The former “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Teresa Guidice and her ex-husband Joe Guidice were famously hit with a federal tax lien from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) back in 2015, Forbes reports. The US government requested that the reality TV couple pay a total of $551,563 in a claim against their property.

In 2014, Teresa served less than 12 months of her 15-year-long sentence for the crimes while Joe served 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud charges in 2014. Teresa and Joe officially divorced in 2020 after 23 years of marriage.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Wesley Snipes

Wesley Snipes
Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

Wesley Snipes, 59, was sentenced to a total of three years in prison in 2008, for his failure to file millions of dollars in past tax returns. The actor was also fined a total of $5 million for the past due tax returns. In 2010, he filed for an appeal but was denied and began serving his sentence in December of that year. Wesley was released from prison in April 2013.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino

Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino
Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shutte

Mike Sorrentino, 40, known as The Situation from MTV’s “Jersey Shore” is another celebrity that was found guilty of tax evasion. The reality TV star was sentenced to a total of eight months in prison for tax evasion charges back in October 2018.

He and his brother were accused of lying on their tax returns for nearly $9 million in income, NBC reports. He was released from prison on September 12, 2019 and has since welcomed a son into his life with his wife Lauren Pesce.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Ja Rule

Ja Rule
Matt Baron/Shutterstock

The rapper Ja Rule, 46, failed to file his taxes between 2004 and 2008, Radar Online reports. During those four years, he accumulated owing $1.1 million in taxes. Ja Rule was sentenced to 28 months in prison in 2011 for the charges of tax evasion. He worked out a deal with prosecutors to drop charges against him for not paying his taxes in 2007 and 2008. 

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill
Grant Pollard/Invision/AP/Shutte

In 2013, singer Lauryn Hill began serving a three-month prison sentence for tax evasion. She failed to pay taxes on her income for two years between 2005 and 2007, BBC reports. Lauryn failed to pay a total of $1.8 million on her taxable income during that time. She walked out of prison a free woman in October of 2013. Lauryn served her sentence at a low-security all-female facility in Danbury, Connecticut.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi
AFLO/Shutterstock

Lionel Messi is another star that was found trying to pocket extra cash. In June 2017 the football star was able to have his 21-month prison sentence reduced to a fine, ESPN reports. He and his father were found guilty of using off-shore accounts to hide earnings from image rights. The fines resulted in Lionel having to pay €252,000 ($288,000, £223,000), equating to €400 for each day of the sentence.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage
John Salangsang/Shutterstock

Nicolas Cage, 58, is no stranger to tax fraud himself as the famous actor was hit with a $6.2 million tax lien in 2009 from the IRS. Nicolas ended up suing his money manager for negligence and fraud, AARP reports. His money manager sued the actor back claiming that Nicolas spent much of the money on luxury vehicles and other non-essentials. The cases have been settled but Nicolas is still having to deal with the aftermath of his messy finances as he has tried to sell multiple properties, the outlet reports.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson
Shutterstock / Sterling Munksgar

The famous singer Willie Nelson had his personal property seized by federal agents for his debt to the IRS, Rolling Stone reports. The IRS ended up charging Willie with a debt of $16.7 million which included $10.2 million in interest and penalties alone. In 1993, Willie and the IRS settled his debt for $9 million, which included $3 million that he had already paid.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart
Shutterstock / s_bukley

Martha Stewart is famous for many things like her delicious recipes and also evading her taxes. In 2002, she was fined a total of $220,000 for failing to pay taxes on her luxurious East Hampton home. Martha also served five months in prison for a non-tax-related crime in 2004 for insider trading. Since then Martha is living lavishly and boasts a net worth of $400 million as of 2022, Celebrity Net Worth reports.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM
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Fat Joe

Fat Joe
Shutterstock / lev radin

Fat Joe, 51, is a rapper from New York City who was sentenced to prison time for failing to file his income tax returns from 2007 to 2010. He was sentenced in 2013 to a total of four months in prison by the District of New Jersey. Fat Joe had filed to file his tax returns on over $3.3 million in his income, the district reports. During the three years of unreported income, the total tax loss to the government was $718,038. He was also fined a total of $15,000 by the government in addition to his prison sentence.

July 29, 2022, 12:06PM