http://myblackhawkmines.tumblr.com/post/50054589282/hip-hop-star-lauryn-hill-gets-three-months-for-tax

 

Last Monday, U.S. magistrate judge sentenced Grammy-winning hip hop artist Lauryn Hill to three months in prison, three months in home confinement and a $60,000 fine for federal tax evasion. 

Last year Lauryn Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to file tax returns on more than $1.8 million of income between 2005 and 2007 and faced up to three years in prison.

Hill has credited her failure to pay taxes to years of pressure she practiced as a recording star all at the same time with raising six children, causing her to go underground and shut away from the public eye.

On the eve of her scheduled sentencing, Hill paid $504,000 in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and another $420,000 to the state of New Jersey, her attorney told the court. She still owes another $285,000 in interest and penalties.

“When the government is asking for 36 months and the judge gives three months, I think the judge gave a fair and reasonable sentence,” Hill’s attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters.

Thirty months to the maximum of 36 months was asked by the prosecutors for a sentence.

Hill’s lack of a criminal record, her six children and her repayment of the back taxes as mitigating factors in the sentence, cited U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo.

Hill, native of South Orange, New Jersey, must report on or before July 8.  Her attorney asked the court to assign her a facility close to home.  Part of one year of supervised probation is the three months of home confinement following the prison stay.

Hill told the court she pulled away from society because her life was in crisis, received veiled threats and was blacklisted because she did not conform to the norms of the music industry.

“I was being perceived as a cash cow, not a person,” Hill said.

Just this Friday, a new single by Hill, her first in several years, called “Neurotic Society,” was posted on iTunes.

“Here is a link to a piece that I was ‘required’ to release immediately, by virtue of the impending legal deadline,” her Tumblr social media page said on Saturday.

She signed a new contract with Sony Worldwide Entertainment and was working on her first album of new material in more than a decade, her lawyers attest.

Hill’s seminal 1998 solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” won the singer five Grammy awards.  She was a former member of the Fugees rap trio.

"Last year Lauryn Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to file tax returns on more than $1.8 million of income between 2005 and 2007 and faced up to three years in prison. Hill has credited her failure to pay taxes to years of pressure she practiced as a recording star all at the same time with raising six children, causing her to go underground and shut away from the public eye. On the eve of her scheduled sentencing, Hill paid $504,000 in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and another $420,000 to the state of New Jersey, her attorney told the court. She still owes another $285,000 in interest and penalties."

OAKLAND, CA-Peter C. Son, 38, of Danville, Calif., was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello said. Son was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined. According to court documents, Son and his business partner Jin Chung were the owners of SNC Asset Management, Inc. and SNC Investments, Inc. (Companies), which were incorporated in 2003. The Companies shared office space in Pleasanton, Calif., and on Wall Street in New York City. Son served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chung served as the Chief Financial Officer. Son was initially charged on July 27, 2009 with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions with the proceeds of wire fraud. On April 9, 2010, Son pleaded guilty to both counts. In pleading guilty, Son admitted he falsely advertised that the Companies had a distinguished record and were highly successful in foreign exchange trading, when in fact records reflect that very little foreign exchange trading was done by either company. Son also admitted that potential investors were falsely promised annual returns on their investments of between 24 and 36 percent a year. From the beginning, investors were strongly encouraged to reinvest their profits to avoid having to return funds to the customers. Returns were paid out to only those investors who demanded that the accounts be closed or those who demanded monthly returns be paid instead of reinvested. Court records reflect that from 2003 through October 2008, approximately 500 customers invested approximately $85 million in the Companies, receiving in return approximately $23 million, leaving investors with losses amounting to approximately $62 million. Most of the investors were Koreans living in California and Korea. Accord

http://updates.my-blackhawkmines.com/category/music/ Whitney Houston, along with the late Michael Jackson, has helped in paving the way for black artists to utilize mainstream media and gain global support in the music industry. The cousin of singer Dionne Warwick, Houston shot into international fame after her discovery in the 80s. In 1992, she got married to another artist, Bobby Brown, who seem to have the opposite upbringing than her. However, her career made a turn for the bad after her marriage. During the late 90′s, she was already notorious for cancellations of appearances, late arrivals and no-shows. Rumors started to circulate that she was doing drugs with her husband. Houston was arrested in 2002 for having marijuana but during a prime-time TV interview, she denied ever having or using drugs. Houston's marriage ended in 2007 and she entered a rehab for drug use. But she admitted herself that her drug use was not halted even after finishing the rehab program. After 2 years, Houston launched a comeback album (after seven years), 'I Look To You' and promoted it during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. But as the events of the past several years have proven, rehab had not been effective for Houston as opposed to how it had redeemed Robert Downey Jr. Recently, people are speculating that her fall from fame has dried out her fortune. Having no planned albums in the future, her only comeback appearance was the film Sparkle which will be released in August. She played a supporting role alongside singer Jordin Sparks - her first in almost 6 years. There were also rumors that Houston was one of the possible choices as a judge in the singing competition, 'The X Factor' but those were flatly denied by Simon Cowell. Just hours into the 54th annual Grammy Awards, Houston was found dead in her hotel room with the cause of death remaining unknown. Coroner's officials are not going to release details regarding the autopsy on Sunday due