Believe it or not, Wyclef Jean is reportedly broke.
The Smoking Gun spoke with the rapper’s business manager who revealed that Jean owes $2.9 million in tax liens.
Through a confidential agreement, Jean 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 Smoking Gun noted that 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.
According to the alleged agreement, if Jean made the two payments totaling $60,000, the law firm would waive the remaining $40,000. If he failed to make good on the agreement, an additional ten percent annual interest would be added to the $100,000.
The Smoking Gun reports that Jean did not make any payments to the firm. An email reportedly sent by the rapper’s accountant, David Levin, in January to the Jean’s creditors confirmed the former Fugee’s 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 law firm’s threats of impending court action against Jean.
Upon receiving the go-ahead from Levin, to reportedly “file it,” legal representatives did just that. At this time, Jean reportedly owes the firm $102,027.40.
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. Yele Haiti ultimately left a string of upset creditors upon closing in 2012.
via EURWeb
