IRS Hits Wyclef With $2.1 Million In Tax Liens
Presumed Haitian presidential candidate owes for 1040 returns

Wyclef Jean IRS Liens

AUGUST 4--Wyclef Jean, who appears ready to announce his candidacy for Haiti’s presidency, owes the Internal Revenue Service more than $2.1 million, according to federal tax liens filed against the musician, The Smoking Gun has learned.

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.

Though the Wyclef Jean Foundation had operated at a deficit and experienced cash flow problems, Jean actually paid himself and a partner (his cousin Jerry Duplessis) $65,000 in upfront rent payments for space at a Manhattan recording studio the duo owns. The prepaid 25 months worth of rent covered the foundation’s use of a café table in the studio's kitchen. Jean’s foundation has received millions in donations since the Haiti tragedy, but it is unknown how the group has spent those funds.

Along with attempting to rebuild a devastated country, the next Haitian president will be in charge of handling foreign aid payments as well as the nation’s own limited financial resources. (3 pages)

Haitian Presidential Candidate Wyclef Jean Owes the IRS $2.1 Million
By Tim Elfrink, Wed., Aug. 4 2010 @ 3:06PM
Categories: News



?In case you weren't skeptical of Wyclef Jean's soon-to-be official candidacy to become president of poor, earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the Smoking Gun just posted some documents you might want to take a look at.

The IRS has hit Jean with $2.1 million in tax liens over the last three years, including a $723,000 late notice filed this May. That's on top of Jean's well-documented problems running Yéle, his Haitian aid charity.

Surely Larry King will grill Jean on all these issues when he appears on CNN tonight to announce his presidential bid! Right, Larry?

The IRS documents, posted in full at the Smoking Gun, show that the IRS filed a lien for $724,332 on May 1 -- the third big late notice in three years, including a $599,167 lien in June 2009 and a $729,269 lien in July 2008.

Should being a bad taxpayer preclude Jean from trying to reverse the fortunes of his homeland?

Probably not. Jean has shown his passion for trying to help Haiti over the years, even if he's bungled the effort by overpaying himself for charity shows and allegedly letting his mistress run his nonprofit.

But there's never been a more critical moment in Haiti's history, and its a very fair question whether a musician -- however pure his motives -- could foster more change than a seasoned politico or a diplomat.

His candidacy has already had one impact, though -- every media outlet on the planet has written about his plans to run for the presidency, and every streetcorner in Little Haiti has been buzzing for two weeks about his plans.

"He'll bring a lot of visibility to this race, which Haiti really needs. Most of the TV crews left after the earthquake," says Marleine Bastien, executive director of Miami's Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami and a Congressional candidate.

Still, Bastien says she'll wait to see who else is running before deciding whether to support anyone in the race.

"It's just too early to say," she says.

IRS Now After Wyclef Jean As The Potential Haitian Presidential Candidate Reportedly Owes More Than $2.1 Million
Posted by ALBANY4LIFE on August 4, 2010 at 8:30pm
View ALBANY4LIFE's blog


AUGUST 4--Wyclef Jean, who appears ready to announce his candidacy for Haiti’s presidency, owes the Internal Revenue Service more than $2.1 million, according to federal tax liens filed against the musician, The Smoking Gun has learned.

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.

Though the Wyclef Jean Foundation had operated at a deficit and experienced cash flow problems, Jean actually paid himself and a partner (his cousin Jerry Duplessis) $65,000 in upfront rent payments for space at a Manhattan recording studio the duo owns. The prepaid 25 months worth of rent covered the foundation’s use of a café table in the studio's kitchen. Jean’s foundation has received millions in donations since the Haiti tragedy, but it is unknown how the group has spent those funds.

Along with attempting to rebuild a devastated country, the next Haitian president will be in charge of handling foreign aid payments as well as the nation’s own limited financial resources. (3 pages)
View Documents: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/irs-hits-wyclef-21...

Wyclef Jean running for president of Haiti amid claims of unpaid taxes

NewsCore From: NewsCore August 05, 2010 2:16PM
I


AS Wyclef Jean announced he would run for the presidency of Haiti, a website reported the Haitian-American musician owes the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than $2.3 million in back taxes.

The Smoking Gun, which posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis, posted details of the federal tax liens filed against Jean.

The IRS has filed 3 liens against the former Fugees star since 2006, in amounts of AU $791,419, $654,762 and $865,864.

The liens cover taxes due on Jean's individual 1040 returns for 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Jean's announcement that he would run for Haiti's top job came after days of speculation.

He told The Wall Street Journal his involvement in fundraising and relief efforts in the Caribbean country following its devastation by a massive earthquake in January had led to his decision.


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"Well, my whole country, my whole life since I was a kid, the country has had political turmoil," he said.

"The reason why is that there's never been one person who can unite all parties and get them to work together. And Haiti has a history of coup d'etats. And after January 12, I felt there would be a new beginning and the international [community] would be more involved, America would be more involved.

"I'm someone who can connect the parties together and basically be a leader for the youth for what they’ve been crying for, for years."

The Grammy winner said during his career he had been trying to draw attention to world issues.

"If you’ve watched my career, I’ve been singing about this my entire life, not just the Haitian cause whether it’s Tibet or human rights, the idea is to not just shame but to turn it into policy and to really engage in another manner," he said.

"I always say that Wyclef Jean is not running for the presidency of Haiti, I’m being drafted by the people of Haiti."

Jean's charity was the subject of scrutiny during the Haiti fundraising campaign as to whether its administrative costs were higher than comparable charities.

The Smoking Gun reported that 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.

Haiti’s current president, Rene Preval, is concluding his second term and is ineligible for re-election.

The election will be held on November 28.

Wyclef deserves to be president of haiti the same way Elvis deserved his black belt.

Call Larry King tonight and tell the Fugee that ..... if he is taking calls .....and at least the Fugee was born in Haiti

Revenue Service should cancel back taxes as a gesture.
S.

Wow, he's on Larry King so he MUST be a contender. OK.

Larry is gonna ask him some real hardball questions ......Like " Wyclef what is your favorite flavor ice cream ....Your thoughts "

Pras not endorsing ex-Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean for president of Haiti

BY SIMONE WEICHSELBAUM
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Friday, August 6th 2010, 4:00 AM



Corrigan, Dupoux/Getty
Fugees star Pras (left) is endorsing Michel Martell as the next president of Haiti, and not former bandmate Wyclef Jean (right).
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Brooklyn-bred rapper Wyclef Jean is counting on New Yorkers to back his run for president of Haiti - but he can't count on his former bandmate.

Soon after the celebrity singer filed papers for his candidacy Thursday, fellow Fugees star Pras announced he's supporting another hopeful.

"I endorse Michel Martell as the next president of Haiti because he is the most competent candidate for the job," Pras said in a statement.

Jean is hoping other Haitian expats living in New York don't agree.

New York, and Brooklyn in particular, is home to the world's largest number of Haitian expatriates - and Jean told the Daily News he's looking for their support.

"Wyclef Jean needs to be 3 million strong. Diaspora moving together to engage in help to get these people into a better situation," Jean said.

Jean came to New York at age 9, moving to the rough-and-tumble Marlboro houses in Coney Island and later to Flatbush, said his older brother, Sam, 39. He went to Public School 199 in Midwood before leaving for New Jersey.

Wyclef has stayed loyal to his homeland - he never became an American citizen and likes to show off his Haitian passport.

After a devastating earthquake rocked the island nation in January, his star power and public appeals for help attracted millions in donations to his charity, Yele.

Still, interviews Thursday with Brooklyn Haitians show Jean might have a tough road ahead of him.

"Wyclef is a musician. He's not fit for the job. It's like taking an engineer and putting him in a hospital," said Yvon Olivier, 59, manager of Chaco International Shipping in Flatbush.

Like President Obama, Jean is relying on younger voters to get him into office, distancing himself from the older candidates - including his 78-year-old uncle, Raymond Joseph, who has been the U.S. ambassador for the past five years.

Aside from the family troubles, Jean will also have to grapple with questions about Yele. Tax returns showed that some prequake donations to Yele went to Jean's Manhattan recording studio and his Haitian television production company.

Jean told The News that he learned from his mistakes, changing Yele's leadership and opening up its books.

"People say, 'Are you running for president?' " Jean said. "I say no, I am naturally being drafted by my country to serve my country," he said.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/06/2010-08-06_pras_not_endorsing_former_fugees_bandmate_wyclef_jean_for_president_of_haiti.html#ixzz0vp1YwTu0