Earl Simmons 'DMX' Arrested For Tax Evasion and Fraud! Turns Himself In
The rapper Earl Simmons, who is popular with his stage name DMZ, is now arrested on federal tax fraud charges in New York on Thursday after he turned himself over to law enforcement.
According to the Prosecutors, the rapper, who earned millions from his songs avoided paying taxes by arranging different account names and paying personal expenses largely in cash. Prosecutors say-
“Earl Simmons, owes $1.7 million in taxes and has engaged in a multi-year scheme to conceal millions of dollars of income from the Internal Revenue Service.”
U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim added-
“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. 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.”
Though it is reported that Simmons owned $1.75 million in between 2002 and 2005, he claims that he made $10,000 in 2013 and his earnings in 2011 and 2012 remain unknown.The Yonkers native hip-hop star DMX will appear in Manhattan federal court on Friday.
The forty-six-years-old DMX has fathered altogether fifteen children with nine different women, which could be one of the reasons for avoiding tax.
DMX, who has dealt with financial issues for over ten years filed for bankruptcy for the third time last year in December. According to the court documents obtained in 2016-
“DMX owes $950,000 to Compass Bank, $304,796 in back child support, another $230,898 in support and $1.4 million in family support for a total of $2,030,970.”
Simmons claimed that his only asset is his New York home, which worth is estimated to be $350k. Likewise, he said that he doesn’t own any automobiles, jewelry, household goods, furniture, and electronics or guns.
Simmons has been in the news because of this case since 2000, as he was arrested a number of times because he was unable to pay child support.