REV. AL'S HALF-PRICE DEAL ON $1.8M TAXES

New York Post ^ | March 27, 2009 | Chuck Bennett and Lois Weiss

[Zakeet]

The Rev. Al Sharpton owed at least $1.8 million in back taxes before striking a sweetheart deal with the feds last summer that chopped the bill almost in half and kept him out of the slammer, The Post has learned.

A series of federal liens -- the most recent of which was filed earlier this month -- provide a window into the massive tax debts the firebrand activist incurred since 2002 as he remade himself into a millionaire media personality, newly released documents show.

Treasury Department officers say Sharpton owed $351,798 from 2007, according to a document filed March 3 with the New York County Register Office.

This unpaid balance -- a potential mix of back taxes and penalties -- comes on top of a federal lien filed last Nov. 13 for $1,367,521 covering tax years 2005 and 2006.

All the liens are filed as "1040" or personal income tax and listed his address as 680 Madison Ave. -- the uber-swanky Helmsley Carlton House where Sharpton resides.

[Snip]

Sharpton also owes the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, which was not part of the July settlement, $884,669, according to two liens covering years 2002 through 2006.

Hardy said those debts are being addressed.

Sharpton reportedly earns $750,000 a year hosting a syndicated radio talk show. He also collects anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 per lecture and $2,000 per church sermon. On top of that, Sharpton does "consulting" work for corporations.

[metesky]

It is a disgrace to say this man is a reverend.

'Specially when he's not...

[liberty75]

Al Sharpton - the scumbag's scumbag.

[oldteen]

[The Feds give Sharpton a $900,000 retention bonus paid for by the taxpayers of America. Hallelujah.]

How about the feds now taxing that bonus at 90%??