Not 24 hours after news was breaking that rapper/philanthropist Wyclef Jean was considering running for the Haitian presidency, good ole smoking gun dug up the paperwork that proves he’s simply not ready to be handling millions given from the world to help build the poverty striken country.
Don’t mistaken my post, I think Haiti is in desperate need of an uncorrupted government, but I’d like that person to be someone who is responsible for paying their tax debt, and on time for that matter.
In May, the IRS filed a $724,332 tax lien against Jean. Last July, the agency filed a $599,167 lien against the performer. And a $792,269 lien was lodged against Jean in July 2007. The liens cover taxes due on Jean’s individual 1040 returns for 2006, 2007 and 2008. Copies of the liens, which were filed at the Bergen County clerk’s office in New Jersey, can be viewed at left.
In 1998, Jean–whose given name is Nel Wyclef Jean–purchased a $1.85 million home at 8 Cameron Road in Saddle River, where he lives with his wife Claudinette and their family. The three IRS liens were filed against Nel W. Jean at the Cameron Road address.
Other records show that Jean, 37, has previously been the subject of two smaller tax liens filed against him by the State of New Jersey and the New York State Tax Commission, both of which were eventually satisfied.
Following the Haitian earthquake, TSG reported on Jean’s questionable handling of the finances of his charitable foundation. Along with filing tax returns years late, Jean used his foundation to pay himself and a business partner more than $410,000 for rent, production services, and Jean’s appearance at a benefit concert.
Call me crazy, but its already looking like Jean isn’t qualified for this position. I say if he gets the job lets just make sure we have a ticker on our televisions that reflects every penny spent so we can make sure there’s no problems.
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