Stephen Baldwin, best known for his famous last name and his role in The Usual Suspects, was arrested earlier today in New York for stiffing the government out of tax money. The actor apparently didn’t cough up any of his income in 2008, 2009 or 2010. Those three years of unpaid bills add up to more than three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and obviously, Uncle Sam got sick of asking nicely.
According to TMZ, Baldwin’s arrest was accompanied with a pretty firm statement from the District Attorney of Rockland County claiming things are too hard right now for wealthy citizens to be habitually withholding their contributions to the government. Here’s a portion of the actual quote…
“The defendant’s repetitive failure to file returns and pay taxes over a period of several years contributes to the sweeping cutbacks and closures in local government and in our schools.”
Baldwin has had a long history of money problems. In the midst of these three years, he actually filed for bankruptcy. I have no idea why he didn’t get his act together and pay his bills after he emerged out the otherside or even why his healthy living hasn’t been able to more than support himself and his family. Regardless, he needs to work out a plan to fix this in a hurry. If convicted, he’ll be hit with a felony and could serve more than four years in jail.
We’ll keep you updated as this case winds its way through the court system. Until then, pull out your copy of The Usual Suspects and think fondly of Baldwin as he was during better times.
