CELEBRITY TAX EVASION
A Bad Situation
SUDOKU With the help of their accountant, the two men took steps to actively defraud the IRS, taking payments in cash, splitting up deposits to avoid Things are not looking good for The Situation. Back in 2014, Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino of “Jersey Shore” fame landed in hot water with the IRS after it became increasingly clear he was underreporting his taxes. After a four-year investigation, the reality TV star was sentenced to eight months in prison starting in January. The trouble began in 2010 as Sorrentino capitalized on his MTV fame. With the help of his brother Marc, he organized endorsements, appearances, a comic book series, and other money-making ventures, pulling in a cool $8.9 million over two years. While a little gaudy, there’s nothing inherently wrong with celebrities leveraging their fame in this way. The problems arose when the Sorrentino brothers decided they weren’t going to play by the rules.
reporting requirements, and straight up failing to file a 2011 tax return. After the IRS got wise and subpoenaed documents from the Sorrentino brothers, Marc made things even worse for himself by attempting to alter the paperwork. Some of the celebrities we’ve covered in this segment, whether truthful or not, have been able to plausibly claim that their tax evasion was a misunderstanding or that they were misled by poor tax advice. But in this case, their intentions are clear. Both Sorrentino brothers knew what they were doing and took deliberate action to deceive the IRS and American taxpayers — even after they came under investigation. Both brothers and their accountant plead guilty, and each will be serving jail time. On top of his sentence, The Situation will be forced to pay $123,913 in restitution and an additional $10,000 in
criminal fines. The court was merciful enough to grant the reality star a delay on serving his sentence in order to allow him to get married this month. Honeymoon plans, however, will have to be delayed.
BUTTERY ROASTED CHESTNUTS
Whether or not you have an open fire, you can easily roast some chestnuts using this simple, delicious recipe.
Ingredients
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2 pounds fresh chestnuts, unpeeled
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Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2–3 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
Directions
1. Heat oven to 450 F. 2. Place a large sheet of foil on a rimmed baking sheet. 3. On a large, flat workspace, place chestnuts flat side down. Using a sharp knife, carve an X on the rounded side of each chestnut. 4. In a large bowl of hot water, soak chestnuts for 1 minute. 5. Pat dry and transfer to a medium bowl. Add rosemary, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss to coat and transfer to baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer. Gather the edges of the foil together, leaving an opening at the top.
6. Roast until peels curl up, about 30–45 minutes. 7. Transfer to a platter and serve while hot or warm.
Inspired by Bon Appétit
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