Lauryn Hill Pays $900K Tax Debt Ahead of Sentencing, Attorney Confirms [VIDEO]
Lauryn Hill paid more than $900K ahead of her sentencing for tax evasion on Monday.
Nathan Hochman, Hill's attorney, sent an e-mail to Reuters on May 5 revealing that his client paid off the remaining balance on taxes that she owed and other penalties.
"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," Hochman said.
Hill pled guilty in June 2012 for not paying federal taxes on $1.8 million she earned over the course of three years. At the time, Hochman said the Grammy winner was being made an example of because of her status.
"There are many people in society who fail to file their taxes on time who only face civil liability," he said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo blasted the singer in April for not having paid restitution since she last appeared in court. Arleo said that Hill had more than enough time and access to the necessary funds. Arleo cited Hill's albums and singles as possible resources for her to make payment, saying Hill was not penniless.
"This is a criminal matter. Actions speak louder than words, and there has been no effort here to pay these taxes," Arleo stated.
At the April 22 hearing the judge gave Hill an additional two weeks to make restitution. Since then, Hill announced that she had signed a new record deal with Sony. She released the song Neurotic Society on May 3.
"Here is a link to a piece that I was 'required' to release immediately, by virtue of the impending legal deadline," she wrote on her Tumblr. "I love being able to reach people directly, but in an ideal scenario, I would not have to rush the release of new music."
Hill said the message of her song was timely given the passing of Chris Kelly from a suspected drug overdose on May 1. Neurotic Society is about the chaos people find themselves in.
"I am even more pressed to YELL this to a multitude that may not understand the cost of allowing today's unhealthy paradigms to remain unchecked!" she wrote.
