Reality TV
'Survivor' winner indicted on tax charge
Published Friday, Sep 9 2005, 09:58 BST | By Daniel Saney
Richard Hatch was indicted yesterday for failing to pay tax on the $1m he won on the first season of reality TV show Survivor.
The winner now faces ten charges including tax evasion and filing a false tax return. As well as not paying taxes on earnings, it is also claimed that Hatch used donations to his charity Horizon Bound for his own ends.
For example, it is alleged that a $10,000 donation for his appearance on The Weakest Link was used to fund construction work on his house rather than more charitable projects.
Regarding the tax returns, he apparently had two accountants prepare them including his winnings, but then thought better of it when he found that he stood to lose thousands of dollars.
Hatch has had more than his fair share of legal troubles since CBS' Survivor. He was arrested in 2000 for the alleged assault of his then 9-year-old son, though the case was later dropped. He was then found innocent of another assault, this time of his ex-boyfriend, in 2002.
He faces a maximum prison term of 75 years if found guilty of all charges, in addition to hefty fines.
The winner now faces ten charges including tax evasion and filing a false tax return. As well as not paying taxes on earnings, it is also claimed that Hatch used donations to his charity Horizon Bound for his own ends.
For example, it is alleged that a $10,000 donation for his appearance on The Weakest Link was used to fund construction work on his house rather than more charitable projects.
Regarding the tax returns, he apparently had two accountants prepare them including his winnings, but then thought better of it when he found that he stood to lose thousands of dollars.
Hatch has had more than his fair share of legal troubles since CBS' Survivor. He was arrested in 2000 for the alleged assault of his then 9-year-old son, though the case was later dropped. He was then found innocent of another assault, this time of his ex-boyfriend, in 2002.
He faces a maximum prison term of 75 years if found guilty of all charges, in addition to hefty fines.
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