Jamaican Judge Issues Arrest Warrant For Reggae Singer Beenie
Man On Tax Evasion Charges
“Sim Simmer The Judge Is Gonna
Have The Keys To Your Bimmer”
October 25. 2007
Beenie Man
For those of you who don’t know what that line
is, it is a lyric from the reggae song “Who Am I" by Beenie Man, in reference to
his BMW. He is in trouble in Jamaica on tax evasion charges.
Looks like Beenie Man has just joined Richard
from the show “Survivor,” Isaac Hayes, Wesley Snipes and Ron Isley in the
non-taxpayers club. Entertainers often have a problem in this area.
Beenie, you’ve got to pay your taxes. For there
are only three things that are certain in life - death, taxes and bad movie
remakes. Just kidding.
Seriously though, time to cut a check to the tax
service before they start writing you letters like, “Negro, I saw you in that
new Hummer. Time to pay up.” You don't want to go from singing "who got the keys
to my Bimmer" to "who got the keys to my BMX":
Sounds like the judge is angry at
the missed court date. I hope you will be able to straighten it out.
STORY SOURCE
KINGSTON (Reuters) - A
Jamaican judge issued an arrest warrant for reggae musician Beenie Man after he
failed to turn up in court to answer tax evasion charges on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old singer
and dance hall DJ, whose real name is Anthony Moses Davis, was scheduled to
appear in court to tell how he planned to pay taxes owed for more than a decade.
"I am surprised that
he has not appeared before me," Judge Owen Parkins said before issuing the
warrant. "This case is well publicized and he should have been in court. No one
is above the law."
Beenie Man faced the
court three weeks earlier and was told he owed the Jamaican revenue department
US$415,000 in unpaid taxes plus US$246,000 in penalties. He said then that he
was unaware he owed the money and that the company that formerly managed his
business affairs was responsible for paying the taxes.
The Kingston native
won a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album for his 2000 release "Art and Life."
http://www.reuters.com/article
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