Pleading guilty to three counts of tax evasion, Lauryn Hill could face up to three years in prison following her New Jersey court room appearance on Friday (June 29).
The "Do Wop" singer faces a year in the slammer for each count after failing to file federal tax returns on more than $1.6 million with the Internal Revenue Service in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
When Hill was asked if anyone influenced her plea during the hearing, Hill reportedly said, “Indirectly, I’ve been advised my ability to speak out directly is for another time, at sentencing.”
Not long after the hearing the 37-year-old singer typed out a lengthy explanation on her blog saying she chose to live “underground” and not file her returns for the “safety” of her family.
“Obviously, the danger I faced was not accepted as reasonable grounds for deferring my tax payments, as authorities, who despite being told all of this, still chose to pursue action against me, as opposed to finding an alternative solution".
Hill continued that she was paying her taxes while she was “working consistently,” and “only stopped when it was necessary to withdraw from society, in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of myself and my family. As this, and other areas of issue are resolved and set straight, I am able to get back to doing what I should be doing, the way it should be done.”
According to the Associated Press, Hill will be sentenced some time in November.
Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/lauryn-hill/lauryn-hill-plea-686928
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