Ja Rule Sentenced For Tax Evasion
Ja Rule
Ja Rule has been sentenced by a New Jersey court to more than two years in federal prison for failing to file tax income returns, The Associated Press reports. He also was ordered to pay $1.1 million in unpaid taxes.
Ja Rule sentenced to prison in gun case
"I in no way attempted to deceive the government or do anything illegal," the rapper said prior to sentencing. "I was a young man who made a lot of money — I'm getting a little choked up — I didn't know how to deal with these finances, and I didn't have people to guide me, so I made mistakes."
Ja Rule (real name: Jeffrey Atkins) pleaded guilty in March to failing to pay taxes on more than $3 million in income.
Ja Rule pleads guilty to $3 million tax evasion
Last month, Ja Rule was sentenced to up to two years in state prison after pleading guilty to attempted criminal weapon possession. The prison sentence will be served at the same time as the federal tax sentence and, depending on his release date for the gun charge, he could serve four to 12 months for taxes. He's serving time at the Oneida Correctional Facility in upstate New York.