Ja Rule may have a dubious history of tax evasion and promoting scams, but that has not stopped the controversial rapper from asking people to trust him with their taxes.
Born Jeffrey Atkins, the self-proclaimed “mogul” shared an Instagram post on Sunday promoting Value Tax, a tax preparation company with multiple locations across the country. “It’s TAX SEASON!!! And we’re giving you $100 when you walk in the door!!!,” reads the caption. “Let us do your taxes walk out with $100 it’s that simple!!!”
In a separate tweet, he added, “Plus we do credit repair.” His posts, however, sparked a massive outcry from Twitter users who scorned the idea of the Queens hip-hop star doing anyone’s taxes.
Complimentary lunch you get when Ja Rule sits down with you to do your taxes pic.twitter.com/9836derint
— Lancestipher (@Lancestipher) January 15, 2020
Sorry, all my money is tied up in Fyre Festival wristbands.
— gomez (@trupatriotman) January 14, 2020
when the IRS debt collector shows up at your door because Ja Rule forgot to file your taxes pic.twitter.com/JAQpe4gWau
— Avinash Tharoor (@AvinashTharoor) January 14, 2020
In response, Atkins clarified in a since-deleted tweet that he won’t personally handle anyone’s W2; rather, he is now an owner of the company. “Calm down y’all Rule won’t be doing your taxes… 🤣 Value tax does I’m just an Owner!!!,” he wrote. He later claimed that the controversy his posts caused were all part of his master plan to get free promotion on social media. “Lmao thanks for all the promo this s–t easy y’all are very predictable lmao… #Thepuppetmaster,” he tweeted.
Back in 2011, the 43-year-old rapper was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison for tax evasion after admitting that he did not file taxes on more than $1.1 million in income over a period of five years, reported CNN. Atkins served the prison term concurrently with a sentence for gun possession.
The reality star also found himself in tax trouble again last year. According to public documents obtained by Bossip, Atkins reportedly owed the IRS more than $2 million in back federal taxes on liens over the course of a decade. The documents revealed that the IRS issued a lien for $443,442 for back taxes from income that Atkins earned in 2016. A separate lien issued on March 4, 2019, shows that he also owed back taxes from 2005 through 2008, bringing his total amount owed to a whopping $2,031,753.
Atkins, however, is perhaps best known for co-creating and promoting the Fyre Festival in 2017 with serial entrepreneur Billy McFarland. The infamous retreat was marketed as a luxurious music fest and beach getaway on a private island. It was also advertised by social media influencers like Kendall Jenner as an immersive art and musical experience. However, it turned out to be a complete sham. At the fest, attendees who paid up to $12,000 a ticket revealed on social media that they were fed cheese sandwiches and forced to sleep outside in tents.