For the love of money: Four celebs who got into major trouble with the IRS

More money, more problems! Wesley Snipes and Martha Stewart aren't the only celebrities who have had serious money woes.

Khloé Kardashian is one of the many celebrities that owed money to the IRS due to back taxes.
Khloé Kardashian is one of the many celebrities that owed money to the IRS due to back taxes.  © Screenshot/Instagram/khloekardashian

Shockingly, there have been quite a few A-listers that had some trouble with taxes.

Whether it's bankruptcy, mishandling funds, divorce, or just being irresponsible, no one is really out of the IRS' reach. Some have found this out the hard way.

You'd think that extremely wealthy celebrities would have an army of experts on their side to make sure everything is always in order.

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And though "creative accounting" can also lead to issues with the law, you'd be surprised how often the rich and famous just kind of... forget about that whole tax thing.

Khloé Kardashian

Khloé Kardashian once owed over $18,000 in debt to the IRS due to unpaid back taxes and penalties.
Khloé Kardashian once owed over $18,000 in debt to the IRS due to unpaid back taxes and penalties.  © Screenshot/Instagram/khloekardashian

That's right folks!

A Kardashian once got on the IRS' bad side – and it was none other than Khloé Kardashian.

Though the 37-year-old is now a successful entrepreneur and reality star like her siblings, she's had her fair share of legal and money problems.

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Back in 2010, the Good American owner was hit with an $18,490.74 tax lien by the state of California.

Khloé financial bind stemmed what a result of unpaid back taxes, penalties, and collection fees from 2007.

Still, KoKo was able to bounce back and resolve the issue.

Now the working mom has a lucrative brand, plus "momager" Kris Jenner, who works like a shark to make sure her clients – aka her kids – are always on track.

There's a fair chance Kris helped Khloé through her little financial slip-up.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan owed about $300,000 to the IRS due to failing to pay her taxes from 2009 to 2011.
Lindsay Lohan owed about $300,000 to the IRS due to failing to pay her taxes from 2009 to 2011.  © Screenshot/Instagram/LindsayLohan

Speaking of the Kardashians, another reality star that was a pickle with the government was Lindsay Lohan.

The starlet already had a plethora of other problems.

In the 2000s, her personal life was heavily scrutinized in the media because, and jail stints followed serious issues with substance abuse.

Lindsay also had some bad blood with the IRS, after failing to pay her taxes from 2009 to 2011.

The "blunder" caused the actor to owe almost $300,000 in debt.

However, in 2009 an angel by the name of Charlie Sheen swooped in and gave the Parent Trap star $100,000 to help her out.

Now that Lindsay is slowly making her comeback, she's not only financially, but also personally in a much better place.

Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige owed over $6 million in back taxes from 2008 to 2016.
Mary J. Blige owed over $6 million in back taxes from 2008 to 2016.  © screenshot/instagram/therealmaryjblige

Mary J. Blige's rise to stardom is one that can inspire many.

The singer has been very open about her struggles with mental health, addictions, and abuse.

Things did seem to turn around for the 50-year-old when she married her manager, Martin "Kendu" Isaacs in 2003.

In 2017, Mary revealed that she owed the IRS $6.5 million in back taxes from 2008 to 2016.

The amount is quite shocking due to her success and longevity in music. This all came to light amid her divorce from Martin, who also owed some cash to the government during their marriage.

Additionally, in July 2019, the IRS reportedly filed a tax lien against her claiming she still owed $1.1 million.

Mary and her ex officially divorced in 2018, and the R&B star went to have a successful acting career.

It's unclear, however, if her debt was ever cleared up.

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. failed to pay his taxes during his time in jail, causing him to owe $2 million to the IRS.
Robert Downey Jr. failed to pay his taxes during his time in jail, causing him to owe $2 million to the IRS.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Press

He's famous for playing the super rich Tony Stark/Iron Man, but Marvel star Robert Downey Jr. once also found himself drowning in debt.

The actor suffered severe career struggles and ended up in jail several times.

During his prison sentence, Robert didn't pay his state and federal taxes.

This led to the star owing about $2 million in debt.

RBJ has often addressed his bad boy phase and credited Mel Gibson for supporting him in his career comeback.

With a little help from his friends and lot of work, the Avengers star quickly got back on the scene and is now one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood.

By 2007, he had cleared all of his debt.

In short, take care of those taxes or face the wrath of the IRS!

Cover photo: Screenshot/Instagram/khloekardashian

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