Lauryn Hill Going to Prison Despite Settling $900K Tax Debt

May 6th, 2013

Grant Trimboli

Newly signed Sony Records artist Lauryn Hill will be spending 3 months in prison for evading her taxes from 2005-2007. She owed $900,000 to the federal government and the State of New Jersey, plus penalties.

Nathan Hochman (her attorney) told Reuters that she actually paid off her debt through a loan leveraged against two pieces of real estate.

Sunday, her attorney said “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.”

ABC News reported that Hill made a “forceful statement” to Newark, New Jersey’s U.S. District Court judge stating “I needed to be able to earn so I could pay my taxes, without compromising the health and welfare of my children, and I was being denied that.”