Right before Christmas last year, Donald Trump was handing out pardons left and right. And one of them went to his longtime friend and confidant, Roger Stone, who had been convicted for lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstruction. Stone had been facing 40 months in federal prison for his crimes.
But while Stone may have dodged incarceration, he’s now facing financial ruin.
On Friday, the Department of Justice sued Stone, accusing him and his wife, Nydia, of failing to pay almost $2 million in unpaid federal taxes and fees, according to NBC News:
“The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says the couple underpaid their income taxes by $1,590,361 from 2007 to 2011. It further says Stone, 68, did not pay his full tax bill in 2018, coming up $407,036 short. The couple, the suit alleges, used a commercial entity to ‘shield their personal income from enforced collection and fund a lavish lifestyle despite owing nearly $2 million in unpaid taxes, interest and penalties.'”
A lien is also being sought against a property owned by Stone and his wife:
“The filing wants to thwart the Stones’ transfer of their $525,000 Florida condominium to an entity known as the Bertran Family Revocable Trust, which the government says is controlled by Nydia Stone and has as beneficiaries their children, Adria Stone and Scott Stone.
“A tax lien was being sought against the property, it said. The suit also seeks a judgment for $1,590,361.89.”
The Stones had agreed to a payment plan for their overdue taxes, but stopped making the monthly installments of $20,000. It remains unclear why the couple ceased their payments, unless they’re both financially tapped out, which has been rumored in recent months.
If the Stones lose the federal suit filed against them by the DOJ, they will be facing a massive tax liability that they cannot merely ignore. A continued failure to pay the taxes could also send them both to prison.
Isn’t it interesting how karma manages to catch up with even the biggest douchebags? A little patience is required, but the karmic wheel always spins in the direction of those most deserving of a giant bite on the ass.
