Wyclef Jean is Broke, Owes More Than $2Million In Taxes
Wyclef Jean is broke and owes more than 2.5 million dollars in tax lines. His business manager confirmed the news to The Smoking Gun recently.
An email reportedly sent by the rapper's accountant, David Levin, in January to the Jean's creditors confirmed the former Fugees' financial state, as he stated that, "in my most professional verbiage…there ain't no money." Levin's email was sent out in response to threats from the singer's creditor's threats of impending court action against Jean.
According to latest reports, the Haitian artist and producer reportedly said he would pay $100,000 to entertainment law firm Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber & Herbsman to settle an outstanding bill of $133,000. The rapper/producer was requested to pay his outstanding debt with the law firm via two installments: $10,000 by last August 1 and another $50,000 by the end of last year.
But it is alleged that Jean did not make any payments to the firm. The alleged agreement stated that if Jean made the two payments totaling $60,000, the law firm would waive the remaining $40,000. But if he failed to
make good on the agreement, an additional ten percent annual interest would be added to the $100,000. At this time, Jean reportedly owes the firm $102,027.40.
Reports claim Jean's current legal predicament isn't the first time he's had to pay off a debt. The rapper was questioned about the handling of finances for his now defunct organization, Yele Haiti following the Haitian earthquake. According to reports, the non-profit foundation collected more than $16 million in donations following a series of earthquakes that destroyed the island's capital city, Port-Au-Prince.
It is likely Yele Haiti ultimately left a string of upset creditors upon closing in 2012.
