10 Celebrities Who Went to Prison for Tax Evasion

Jersey Shore fans around the world were shocked Friday when Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino was sentenced to eight months in prison for his tax evasion charges.

Along with fines, restitution costs and 500 hours of community service, the sentence comes after a months long legal battle for the reality star and his brother for the crime of not paying their taxes.

It may come as little surprise that many celebrities have found themselves on the wrong side of the law for failing to pay their taxes and finding themselves in prison for the crime.

Take a look at some Hollywood stars who have served time for tax evasion.

Wesley Snipes

The Blade trilogy star found himself in trouble with the government in 2008 when he was convicted on three misdemeanor counts for failing to file tax returns from 1999 to 2001, keeping $7 million in taxes from the federal government.

The actor was sentenced to three years in a Pennsylvania federal prison, which he served from December 2010 to April 2013 in the facility, and finished his sentence on July 19, 2013, under house arrest.

Ja Rule

The rapper, real name Jeffrey Atkins, pleaded guilty to failing to file tax returns on more than $3 million in March 2011.

He was sentenced to 28 months in prison and agreed to pay $1.1 million in back taxes. He got an early release in May 2013 and remained under house arrest until July 28, 2013.

Lauryn Hill

The music icon started three-month prison sentence in 2013 after failing to pay around $1 million in taxes over a decade. She pleaded guilty to the charges in 2012.

After prison, she reportedly served one year probation, including three months of house arrest.

Teresa and Joe Giudice

The Real Housewives of New Jersey couple were caught in scandal back in 2013, when they were indicted on 39 counts of fraud and tax charges.

Teresa pleaded guilty to four counts, while Joe pleaded guilty to five counts. In October 2014, Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Joe to 41 months and the couple paid $414,588 in restitution.

Teresa was released after 11 months in December 2015, serving her sentence first so the children would not be without both their parents at the same time. Joe then reported to prison in March 2016 and is still serving his sentence.

Sophia Loren

The Legendary Hollywood actress served 17 days of a 30-day jail sentence back in 1982. At the time she claimed an error on her 1974 tax return had been an oversight by her deceased tax preparer.

The error was then found to be compliant with regulations after all when in October 2013, the Court of Cassation ruled her 1974 income was reported correctly and she was vindicated from her charges.

Chuck Berry

In the late 1970s, the beloved musician served four months in jail for evading to pay his taxes. The music icon passed away in 2017 at the age of 90.

Pete Rose

Once a renowned baseball icon, Rose was convicted of tax evasion in 1990. He was sentenced to five months in jail and fined $50,000, after failing to report $354,000 in income.

After serving his time, he was ordered to a three-month stay in a halfway house and to perform 1,000 of community service.

Martha Stewart

Not only known for her recipes and home and garden secrets, Stewart famously spent time in federal prison for insider trading and tax evasion.

Stewart was forced to pay $220,000 in back taxes and penalties to the State of New York.

Abby Lee Miller

The Dance Moms star was indicted on 20 counts of bankruptcy fraud and concealment of bankruptcy assets, hiding $755,000 in income from the government.

She was sentenced to a year in federal prison in May 2017 and started serving in July. She was released to a halfway house back in March 2018 and is now fighting a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer diagnosis.

Leona Helmsley

The hotel magnate was sentenced to four years in prison and 750 hours of community service in 1992 for evading $1.7 million in taxes.

She only served 21 months of her sentence but got 150 more community service hours after she was caught making her employees perform some of her hours. She was dubbed the “Queen of Mean” at the time.