Eduardo Munoz/Reuters Ms. Hill outside the court on Monday.A federal judge scolded Lauryn Hill for failing to pay back taxes on Monday but put off for two weeks her sentencing for tax evasion, The Associated Press reported.
Ms. Hill, 37, a Grammy-winning singer, rapper and songwriter, pleaded guilty last year to failing to pay taxes on $1.8 million in income earned between 2005 and 2007. Though she promised at the time she would pay about $554,000 in restitution before she was sentenced, she has only paid about $50,000 to date.
“This is not someone who stands before the court penniless,†said United States Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox. “This is a criminal matter. Actions speak louder than words and there has been no effort here to pay these taxes.â€
An attorney for Ms. Hill, Nathan Hochman, said the singer would borrow money against two houses she owns to pay the tax bill before sentencing on May 3. He said Ms. Hill has a recording contract but has yet to receive revenue from it.
Ms. Hill started out as the lead singer of the Fugees and received critical acclaim in 1998 for her first solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.â€
