"Nothing is certain," said Benjamin Franklin, "except death and taxes." Had the venerable Founding Father been alive today, he might have added a third certainty to that list: Celebrities who fail to file tax returns. From Wesley Snipes to Annie Leibovitz, plenty of famous folks have had an expensive run-in with the taxman. As Americans around the nation mail off their 1040s, here's a list of celebrities currently in trouble with the IRS:
Steve Harvey
Amount owed: $2.1 million
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Offense: Wonder Love Inc., a company owned by Harvey, one of the "Original Kings of Comedy," has a huge unpaid tax bill. The IRS finds this unamusing.
Terrence Howard
Amount owed: $1.1 million
Offense: The actor allegedly failed to pay taxes on his 2007 and 2008 income. It appears that Howard, Oscar-nominated for his role in Hustle and Flow, may be more familiar with the former than the latter.
Snoop Dogg
Amount owed: $598,000
Offense: The IRS has filed a lien against the rapper for the second straight year — last year, he faced similar charges over the $284,000 he owed the state of California. A case of ego trippin'?
Pamela Anderson
Amount owed: $493,000
Offense: The former "Baywatch" pin-up is among 250 taxpayers who failed to pay personal income tax in California. Now on "Dancing with the Stars," Anderson will soon have to dance to the IRS's tune.
Prince
Amount owed: Approximately $450,000
Offense: The musician's management company owes Minnesota state taxes. A sign o' the times?
Toni Braxton
Amount owed: $396,000
Offense: The "Unbreak Your Heart" singer and her estranged husband owe federal taxes from 2007 and 2008. Now Braxton has to "unbreak" her federal obligations and pay the money back.
Gordon Ramsay
Amount owed: Approximately $250,000
Offense: The foul-mouthed British celebrity chef staved off bankruptcy last year, but now has New York tax officials after him for unmet payments. A kitchen nightmare indeed.
Shannen Doherty
Amount owed: $44,000
Offense: The "90210" actress faces a tax lien from the state of California, says a report this month. When she heard about the debt, she said it would "be taken care of promptly." Perhaps she's tired of playing the bad girl.
Corey Feldman
Amount owed: $30,000
Offense: The former childhood star's Corey Feldman Inc. has been hit with a tax lien. Will he stand by his?
Brooke Shields
Amount owed: $10,000
Offense: The actress and her husband owe $10,000 in back taxes, dating from 2004 and 2005, according to TMZ.com. Not exactly a model citizen.
