BREAKING: DMX given a One Year Sentence for Tax Fraud

[ReasonableMatic]

Rap artist and actor DMX was sentenced to one year in prison on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty in a federal case accusing him of dodging $1.7 million in taxes.

DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan. He pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud in November.

Rakoff said he believed Simmons was “a good man” and that the sentence should be modest, explaining why he gave less than the five years sought by prosecutors.

Nonetheless, the judge said, “It cannot go unpunished.”

Before being sentenced, Simmons said he was sorry for having failed to pay taxes. His lawyer also played part of Simmons’ 1998 song “Slippin’” in the courtroom, describing difficulties he has faced.

“They put me in a situation forcing me to be a man/ When I was just learning to stand without a helping hand,” Simmons raps in the song.

His lawyers had argued in court filings that a difficult upbringing left Simmons unprepared to deal with the responsibility that came with financial success.

Prosecutors said he avoided taxes between 2000 to 2005 by shifting money among accounts belonging to managers and associates, hiding millions of dollars he earned from hit songs, including “X Gon’ Give it to Ya” and “Where the Hood At.”

Simmons, 47, was arrested in July. He has been in jail since January, when Rakoff revoked his bail after he failed a drug test and traveled to St. Louis without a court-mandated drug counselor.

Prosecutors said Simmons avoided taxes for years by living a cash-only lifestyle, depositing royalty checks in various bank accounts belonging to other people. When he pleaded guilty, Simmons said that those accounts were held by multiple managers, his ex-wife and one of his children’s mothers.

Simmons has 15 children by multiple women.

Before the tax charges, Simmons had an arrest record including charges of animal cruelty, reckless driving, drug possession, weapons possession and probation violations. He has had several felony convictions and served prison time in Arizona.

Along with his rap career, Simmons has starred in such films as the 1998 crime drama “Belly,” the 2000 action movie “Romeo Must Die” and the 2003 heist film “Cradle 2 The Grave.”
Rapper DMX sentenced to one year in prison for tax fraud

Prayin for X to come out sober and start a new life

 

[Conscious Pilot]

 

[ProfessionallyTrill]

Wow. But they give much more heinous crimes probation

fukk this world

 

[Iceson Beckford]

It’s about to get thick

 

[Big Boss]

 

[RedEye Jedi]

 

[Pop123]

Wish nothing but the best for the dog. He has demons, all of us that did foul shyt in the past and have a conscious have those same demons, it's just some of us cope with them better. Hopefully at this point in his life he's ready to really go hard and change his path, bro is almost 50 now.

 

[Cadillac]

Sucks he's goin in. But at least he just getting a year

 

[Nintendough]

1 year is dodging bullet, uncle sam ain't nice when it comes to his paper. It's fed time anyway, country club.

 

[DrexlersFade]

X too old to be going to prison this some bullshyt.

 

[re'up]

He'll be fine, and hopefully can get at least some of the guidance and new perspective Gucci did when he went in. He will be out in 7 months.

 

[XannyWarbucks]

PRobably knows the CO's on a first-name basis.

On some real shyt, hope he fukking learns something this time.

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

X gotta be one of the saddest downfalls of all time.

 

[West Coast Avenger]

fukked up!.......

 

[DarkandHellisHot]

Forgive me father for I have sinned
Clense my soul I'm ready to win let's begin
Please give me the strength to rebuke the devil
Give me the speech show the word that's heard on all levels