Hatch Survives Prison Broke and Upset

By PopEater Staff Posted Aug 18th 2009 11:55AM

Richard Hatch won the first season of 'Survivor,' taking home the million-dollar prize -- but would then spend four years in federal prison on tax-evasion charges after failing to pay taxes on his winnings.

The reality star talks to Matt Lauer on 'The Today Show' about being broke, life now and also proclaims his innocence. Watch the Interview Inside

"I'd say it reduced my arrogance," Hatch remarked on his prison sentence.

As for the charges, he claims he's innocent and says CBS promised to pay the taxes on the million he earned and that he was the victim of persecution.

"I know without question that there are personal issues involved for the prosecutor. I don't know why. The prosecutorial misconduct has been egregious. He told the court I didn't pay my taxes in 2000, and he told the court I haven't been cooperative. The IRS specifically contradicts that. I don't have a bill for 2000. I haven't even been assessed for 2000. And I've been fully cooperative," Hatch stated.

He promises to pay whatever amount the IRS levies on him.

"Whatever they assess, I'm going to pay. Whatever is owed, I will pay. I've to this day never had an assessment. There were other issues on those tax returns, as there would be on any American's return, that people would question."

How he will pay is another story.

"I'm financially devastated," he added.

Hatch continues to assert that he's innocent and that the prosecutor in his case discriminated against him.

"My personal opinion: He discriminated against me. I do believe that. I don't think you or anyone else could deny that we, as homosexuals, face discrimination," he said.

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Tags: richard hatch, RichardHatch, survivor

Comments

(136)

Tuesday 18 August

By JohnnyB

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The IRS goes after celebrities so that it can gain publicity which they hope then less people will cheat on their returns. If Hatch was still a nobody, there would have been no prosecution.

By anna violeta

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NOT true statment the IRS put my brother in jail for 4 years for 25.000 dollars he did not report and take away his SSecurity retirement, now he is 65 years old and work every day so he can bring bread to the table, so how do you like this apple!!

By MaryM

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Ridiculous! IRS goes after Hollywood types and folks like Hatch because they Don't pay taxes! They feel "entitled" and above the rest of us...the rules don't apply to them, they think. So, they squander millions living the high life til its all gone then whin that They are the victims.
Funny how these Liberals are so intent on raising Everyone elses taxes but won't pay their own.

Sunday 23 August

By Ava

I dont beleive that. Just because the only cases that make the news are cases on celebs doesnt mean the other cases dont happen. Its the medias fault not the IRS's.

By Biloxi2SF

Hey Randy, glad you had a good time in jail, but we don't care about your personal experiences.

Wednesday 19 August

By Trackless

That is not true at all. The IRS prosecutes 'average' bums too.

By Sandi

that simply is not true. i work in the tax business, i prepare tax returns, and represent clients before the irs. famous or not, if you try to evade taxes, you are subject to the same laws regardless of your public or private status. tax evaders cost us honest taxpayers lots of $$$ because we end up paying the bill. this guy is just another deadbeat who thinks the world owes him a living. what a true jackass!

By Survivor Watcher

I'm not saying he is, but from watching him on the show and after the show on TV, the guy shows a lot of classic signs of a sociopath (not a dangerous one, but one nonetheless). Yeah, he's angry. He really does believe that he's been wronged. It's everyone else's fault: CBS, the accountants, the IRS, the prosecutor, the judge. Classic sociopath perspective. Never his fault. I feel sorry for the guy. He really was very entertaining to watch & the gay thing never bothers me.

By Sara A.

Perhaps he's a narcissist. That seems a more likely diagnosis. :)

By nyacart

shoulda paid your taxes

By KW

I truly think Richard thinks that he is in the right and has been done wrong because of his homosexuality. There are a lot of delusional people out there in this world. Since when do we wait for the IRS to assess us? I may be stupid about this because I have never won a large sum of money but I would think just like the rest of us that there would be some type of form with a formula that would let us know what to pay if we had won something like he did.If not there are a lot of tax consultants that would love to make their dollar off of us by figuring this out for us. Hatch was just being the a s s that he was on the show by trying to get out of paying his tax's and blaming CBS. Now he is playing the gay card because it is the last card he has in his hand.

By mema

I think he is getting mixed up with property taxes. The county assesses your property and they send you a bill. When you win a large sum of money, the entity you won it from will send the IRS a form that tell what amount you won. Then it is up to you to figure out how much you (or your C.P.A./hired tax consultant) owe in taxes and send it in. If the IRS disagrees with your (or CPA/tax consultant) figures they will certainly let you know and charge you interest & possibily penalties too.

By kelly

Well Boo Hoo Hoo, WHo in their right mind would believe they wouldnt have to pay taxes. and if CBS was gonna pay the taxes he would be assessed on that because that would be considered income. He manipulated the survivors to win, he thought he could do it in real life. Playing the gay card is just another ploy. He deserved what he got, now he is out of jail trying to drum up media attention and find another way to make money without actually working for it. Get a real job. You paid your debt to society, and got your 15 minutes of fame, now just go away.

By Vee

He cries discrimination because of his sexual orientation! What a douchebag! I don't care if someone is gay or not. If you didn't pay your taxes, you didn't pay! Simple. Hatch, get over yourself. You spent four years in prison. Maybe you need to stay in longer for being a jacka$$. Plus, I think you liked it there. You can drop the soap on purpose. ;) Haha...

By andy

it's not so much about discrimination as it is about "winning" prosecutors also do what it takes, and if it means with holding evidence so be it!

By Terrence

All that fame went to his head. He has a hard head and is very argumentative. I don't think being gay was the issue. He's lying if he said he never got the IRS letters. They are sent automatically by the computer. He was arrogant to believe that just because you are famous, then you don't have to pay your taxes. He should talk to Wesley Snipes.

By J Clark

As a GAY man I would like to comment on the Richard Hatch incident. Richard Hatch is FULL OF IT! He was convicted for not paying his taxes. His being gay had nothing to do with it. I'm fed up with gay and racial minorities playing "the card" when they don't want to take responsibility for their actions. When they play "the card" it diminishes the people who have real discrimination claims. GROW UP MR. HATCH AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS. IF YOU HAD PAID YOUR TAXES YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN PRISON.

By escem59

Thank you J.Say it again,as it was'nt heard by Richard because as you said he's full of it.Whatever IT is at the moment for him.

By Sam

Umm... J Clark... what's your problem? I mean, how do you know he's NOT taking responsibility? Won't you feel like an ass if everything he said in the article was true, that he WAS discriminated against, and really didn't owe taxes for 2000? I believe this guy; what, he's smart enough to win a TV show, but not smart enough to pay taxes to keep from going to prison..? They didn't look into it hard enough, that simple.

By n1spirit1111

Thank you; I agree. I no more like it when GLBT persons (and I'm gay by the way) plat the "gay" card unnecessarily than I like it when the "race" card is played by others. I've never won a million dollars but I can guarantee you that if I had I would have hired an attorney and an accountant to protect both, my finances and my freedom. I'll be the first to admit I don't fully understand all of the rules that the IRS operates from ... so it just makes good sense to pay someone who does. I've blogged about this at http://www.n1spirit.com/blog/?p=2655.

Best regards,
Michael

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