We've all heard the old adage, "I don't have to do nothing, but stay black and die." We all know there are more things in life that one MUST do such as paying taxes. It's quite possible that Robin Givens, ex-wife of both Mike Tyson and former tennis instructor Svetozar Marinkovic, tried to alter her destiny. The veteran actress is in hot water for allegedly neglecting to pay $292,000 in taxes, interest and penalties as far back as 1996.Perhaps this "memory lapse" began when husband number two entered the scene. In 1997, Givens swapped vows with Marinkovic, her then-tennis instructor. This union proved to be a disaster and was even shorter than her marriage to Iron Mike. The day she married Svet, they separated! What could move a person to enter such a commitment and call it quits the same day, citing "irreconcilable differences"?
Ya think?
Back to the financial woe at hand
According to Forbes.com, in a lawsuit filed last week, the feds asked the federal court in Tampa, Fla., to enter a formal judgment against Givens on 39 separate assessments covering eight of the 12 calendar years through 2007. Such a court finding would make it easier for the Internal Revenue Service to try to collect the allegedly unpaid amounts by garnishing Givens' earnings or levying her assets, such as bank accounts.Former classmate of Holly Robinson Peete, Givens has seen her share of trouble with the IRS.
Truth be told, there are state tax liens filed against her in Florida, New York and California, but it appears she has settled some of them. In 2004, she was sued by a little 84-year-old pedestrian whom she struck with her SUV in a crosswalk.
+ Read the Full Story on Robin Givens Tax Troubles Here
Top Celeb Tax Cheats
No. 15 - Wesley Snipes
Tax Crime: Tax fraud charges amounting to nearly $12 million in false returns and six years of not filing.
Lesson Learned: Taxes are due each year, not once every six years. Snipes has been found not guilty of the most serious tax charges.
(Photo: Peter Cosgrove, AP)
No. 14 - Martha Stewart
Tax Crime: Insider trading is not the only thing on Martha's rap sheet. She also got a slap on the wrist for not paying property taxes.
Lesson Learned: Not spending a lot of time at one of your many homes is not a good excuse for allegedly not paying $220,000 in state taxes. (Photo: Bebeto Matthews,AP)
No. 13 - Sinbad
Tax Crime: California put him high on their non-taxpayer list owing more than $2.1 million.
Lesson Learned:The tax man does not find tax evasion funny. (Photo: Steve Snowden, Getty Images)
No. 12 - Dionne Warwick
Tax Crime: Warwick owed nearly $2.7 million according to California's list of most-delinquent taxpayers.
Lesson Learned: Just because you are a do-gooder, that doesn't mean you can skip out on taxes.(Photo: Scott Gries, Getty Images)
No. 11 - Marc Anthony
Tax Crime:Jennifer Lopez's Marc Anthony agreed to pay $2.5 million in back taxes, interest and penalties for his failure to file returns for five years between 2000 and 2004.
Lesson Learned: Make sure youraccountant files your taxes.
No. 10 - Ronald Isley
Tax Crime:The Isley Brothers lead singer went to jail ans was ordered to pay $3.1 million in back taxes in 2006.
Lesson Learned: They called Isley a "serial tax avoider!" Sounds like everyone in America. He is scheduled for release in 2010. (Photo: Alex Brandon, AP)
No. 9 - Nicholas Cage
Tax Crime: The IRS says Cage used a company he owns to wrongly write off $3.3 million in personal expenses.
Lesson Learned: If you buy yourself a turbo jet airplane to fly wherever you want, you can't write it off as a business expense.
No. 8 - Richard Pryor
Tax Crime:The actor/comedian served 10 days in a Los Angeles county jail in 1974 for tax evasion following a tax investigation.
Lesson Learned: Pryor says he told the judge he forgot to pay. The judge told Pryor he'd remember to pay the next year. (Photo: Bob Riha Jr., WireImage.com)
No. 7 - Sophia Loren
Tax Crime: The Academy Award winning Italian actress served an 18-day sentence for tax evasion in an Italian prison in 1982.
Lesson Learned: You have to pay taxes in Italy too.
No. 6 - O.J. Simpson
Tax Crime: O.J. is on California's list of the top 250 delinquency taxpayers. No. 15 to be exact.
Lesson Learned: Will O.J. ever really learn? (Photo: Jae C. Hong, AP)
Comments: (178)
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By: SAMOB LUPTA on 5/27/2009 5:13PM
I THINK THE IRS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST FRAUDS EVER IMPOSED ON THE PEOPLE OF THE UNIDTED STATES OF AMERICA. IT IS TIME TO ERADICATE THE IRS AND MOVE TOWARD A MORE EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM...PERHAPS A VALUE ADDED TAX. AND, ITS TIME TO END CORPORATE WELFARE IN ALL ITS FORMS. LET THE PEOPLE KEEP THEIR HARD EARN MONEY...THEN MAYBE THEY WILL SPEND IT ON GOODS AND SERVICES AND THE ECONOMY WILL BE BETTER AND UNEMPLOYMENT WILL DIP TO AN ALL TIME LOW.
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By: Ken on 5/30/2009 8:53AM
IRS Doesn't make policy or set the tax laws. Congress passes tax legislation and sets the tax code. Don't blame the IRS. It's like blaming the police for making the crimminal laws.
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By: Lynne on 5/30/2009 9:34AM
The IRS Does not make the tax laws. The senate/congress makes the tax laws. IRS inforces them at times unfairly. However, if I pay what I owe why should a celebrity who makes way more money than I do be allowed to not pay her taxes. If she doesn't like paying taxes in the US then maybe she should go live somewhere else.
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By: tigerlily on 5/30/2009 10:31AM
I agree.
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By: Axies on 5/30/2009 10:43AM
Oh, you don't know about Robin Givens nothing! Here's video that will open your eyes on her life - http://robin-givens.tk/
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By: samob lupta on 5/30/2009 11:08AM
Lynn old gal, you draw too many assumptions from the post. I am quite aware what branch of government makes the law esp. in regards to the IRS (ie. see: 16th Amendment). But because Congress initiates legislation, or because the Supreme Courts finds it legal, doesn't mean that it isn't spurious. And, comparing your tax situation to R. Givins tax situation doesn't even speak to the post...it's just something you threw out...maybe you should go back to school and learn to think and read. Or, maybe you should just go to hell.
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By: Sean on 5/30/2009 12:09PM
Value added tax? Seriously? All that will do is raise the price on everything i.e. everyday goods like milk, juice, all food. Who suffers the most in that scenario? Yep, the middle class and the poor..yeah sounds great to me. Just because Obama is proposing it doesnt mean its a good idea..chances are its a bad one.
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By: Liss on 5/30/2009 1:11PM
Eradicate the IRS? Yeah, let's just keep our money and stop paying taxes. Tell me this...who do you think pays for the roads that you drive on? Who paid for your childhood education? Who paid for the park that you take your children to? Who pays the soldiers that defend your freedoms everyday. Oh yeah..this comes from taxes! Programs would have no funding and nothing would ever be maintained if we didn't have taxes...and someone to collect them. And if you really want a Value Added Tax, move to Europe.
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By: SAMOB LUPTA on 5/30/2009 1:23PM
DIDN'T YOU READ THE PART WHERE I SAID: "...AND MOVE TOWARD A MORE EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM...PERHAPS A VALUE ADDED TAX." SO CLEARLY, I AM NOT AGAINST A TAX. MAYBE READING ISN'T YOUR PROBLEM; MAYBE IT'S COMPREHENSION.
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By: DEB on 5/30/2009 3:47PM
LET ME TELL YOU I HAVE WORKED HARD ALL MY LIFE PAYED MY TAXES..NEVER CLAIMED LONG FORM THE YEAR I CLAIMED LONG FORM YOUR SO GREAT ..I.R.S HAVE BEEN AFTER ME AND ALL I CLAIMED WAS MY MORAGE INTREST!!!..WILL NOT DO THAT AGAIN COST ME $ 7000. IN PENTALES AND INTREST ..I JUST LET THEM KEEP MY MONEY NOW..BETTER THAN TRYING TO FIGHT THE I.R.S. THEY GO TOOO FAR!! SO I HAVE NO EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND ON BUYING ANYTHING...FORGET A NEW TV WILL KEEP MY 1964 TV AND SO I HAVE TO SITE IN A HARD BACK KITCHEN CHAIR IN MY LIVING ROOM..I WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANY OF MY HARD EARN MONEY BACK AGAIN FROM THE ..I.R.S... AGAIN..
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