Ja Rule Sentenced to Additional Jail Time, 28 Months Added
Damn, this hurts. On Monday, 35-year-old Jeffrey Atkins (rap name Ja Rule) got hit with another 28 months in prison for failing to pay his taxes. Ja had already began to serve a two-year jail sentence for a weapons conviction and now, he’s been sentenced for owing more than $1 million in taxes. It appears that Ja was aware of his tax obligations–he pleaded guilty in March to three counts of failing to file tax returns and prosecutors say that he did not pay taxes from 2004 to 2008, costing the U.S. government more than $1.1 million. In court, U.S. Judge Patty Shwartz said, “Taxpayers do not have the luxury of deciding whether to comply with laws.” Prior to his sentencing, Ja explained, “I, in no way, attempted to deceive the government or do anything illegal. I was a young man who made a lot of money — I’m getting a little choked up — I didn’t know how to deal with these finances, and I didn’t have people to guide me, so I made mistakes.” Peep the full story here.