US rap artist and actor DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, has been given a one year jail term after he pleaded guilty to a $1.7m (£1.2m) tax fraud and admitted he ‘wasn’t following the rules’
The judge gave the rapper less than the five year term sought by prosecuters, after Simmons’ 1998 song ‘Slippin’ outlining his tough upbringing was played in court. However he said the deception ‘cannot go unpunished’.
Prosecutors said Simmons had avoided taxes between 2000 to 2005 by living a cash-only lifestyle and depositing royalty checks in various bank accounts belonging to managers and others, including those of his ex-wife and of the mother of one of his 15 children.
This meant he hide millions of dollars earned from hit songs, including 'X Gon’ Give it to Ya', which was featured heavily in the hit Marvel film Deadpool in 2016.
Report by Pat Sweet
