IRS

50 CENT AND DONALD TRUMP: TWO OF A KIND

It’s surprising how many things that 50 Cent and his choice for president, Donald Trump, have in common. Both are very wealthy, and are not above using bankruptcy to weasel out of sticky financial situations. Apparently they both hate to pay taxes and have been “negotiating” back and forth with the IRS for many years. We were also amused to learn that 50 Cent also loves to flaunt his wealth with conspicuous consumption. Years ago he appeared on MTV’s Cribs and displayed his cars- including THREE ridiculously expensive Ferraris in his driveway. It turned out the cars were NOT his (the owner griped to MTV) and Fitty had to apologize for the scam.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

TIME FOR THE IRS TO GET A GRIP ON SCIENTOLOGY

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HBO slammed a home run with their Scientology documentary “Going Clear” that debuted Sunday, and we applaud them for it. Everyone MUST see it! Having successful, well known former members lament that they can’t believe they were ever stupid enough to have been involved, was VERY effective. Best of all, HBO exposed the IRS disgrace: decades ago, Scientology harassed the IRS into declaring their organization a tax-free church. They went on to buy up block after block of valuable Hollywood property tax-free. Time for the IRS to RE-EVALUATE the taxation of all so-called “churches.” And Leah Remini wasn’t afraid to applaud the documentary.

(Above, this Scientology center was once a hospital)
Photo: HBO

GISELE BUNDCHEN: SOMETIMES IT HURTS TO BE RICH AND FAMOUS

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Ah, the trials and tribulations of being a top supermodel! Forbes magazine placed Gisele Bundchen as number one earner on their prestigious Supermodel Rich List. According to Forbes calculations, she took in 42 million dollars in spite of having a baby last year. Her earnings are estimated according to photoshoots, licensing, beauty and fashion contracts, etc. Little did Gisele realize that this #1 success title would arouse the intense interest of the IRS. Yup, she’s being audited! And she’s not happy.

DIONNE WARWICK HAS A HISTORY OF FINANCIAL HIJINKS

Don’t waste your sympathy on singer Dionne Warwick, who declared bankruptcy this week. Dionne was the Whitney Houston of her day and had 56 hit songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1962 and 1998. She was spokesperson for The Psychic Friends Network, and their TV ads with 900 numbers bilked gullible viewers out of untold millions from 1991 to 1998. Dionne earned well over 3 million dollars a year for that job. Later she founded The Warwick Foundation supposedly to raise money for AIDS, but an investigation proved that 90% of the money donated actually went to pay for Dionne’s fancy lifestyle and salaries for employees. The foundation dissolved in disgrace. Dionne owes the IRS and the state of California ten million dollars in taxes and we can only hope she pays up like the rest of us have to.

CHARLIE SHEEN: WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING?

#charliesheen #lindsaylohan #janetcharlton

Charlie Sheen didn’t do his “Scary Movie 5” costar Lindsay Lohan a FAVOR when he gave her that $100,000 check to cover her IRS debt. Why? Because every time Lindsay gets off the hook for one of her crimes and misdemeanors, it means she didn’t learn her lesson and will probably do it again, simply because she got away with it. Lindsay’s illegal behavior is likely to continue because she’s rarely punished and chooses to blame everybody but herself for her actions. Maybe Charlie had good intentions, but we can think of a lot of better things to do with that money.

KABBALAH CELEBRITIES: TO THINK SANDRA BERNHARD STARTED IT ALL

The IRS is deep in their investigation of the Kabbalah Center, which calls itself a non-profit organization and doesn’t file a tax return. The investigation started when the cult’s chief financial officer uncovered income tax fraud. Millions of dollars in donations have been made and where the money went is the big question. We didn’t realize that Sandra Bernhard was the first celebrity to get involved in Kabbalah and she pulled in many famous friends like Roseanne Barr and Madonna. Other celebrities attracted to Kabbalah include Elizabeth Taylor, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Gentiles Paris Hilton Britney Spears, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. Celebrities accelerated Kabbalah’s financial growth. None of the celebrities remaining in the fold have commented on the IRS scandal. Madonna remains loyal even though the Malawi orphanage she planned with Kabbalah leaders never came to fruition and the money disappeared. We just hope this IRS investigation leads to the taxation of wealthy groups like Kabbalah or Scientology – or even better, ALL religions.

IT’S ABOUT TIME: MADONNA’S KABBALAH CENTER IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY IRS

This is turning out to be a good week for justice. First, the killing of Osama Bin Laden, and now the Kabbalah Center (which has tax-exempt status like that other cult, Scientology) is being investigated in a tax evasion probe! Among other things they’re looking for evidence to prove that money donated to Madonna’s charities went into the Berg family’s pockets (they run the Kabbalah center.) According to the Los Angeles Times, a former financial officer at the center claims he was fired for pointing out instances of income tax fraud at the center which owns 200 million dollars worth of UNTAXED property along with a 60 million dollar investment fund. The Bergs claim they get no income from the center, but are given free room and board. (A simple little house in Beverly Hills!) The Bergs were also sued by an heiress earlier this year who claims they defrauded her out of millions of dollars. Her lawyer predicted that “any IRS review will result in a revocation of their nonprofit status and criminal prosecution of the family.” Madonna’s connection remains to be seen. Maybe it’s time to take off that red string bracelet. (M’s spokesperson declined to comment.)