Hip-hop artist DMX was arrested on federal tax fraud charges on Thursday.
The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, is accused of concealing millions of dollars of income from the Internal Revenue Service over the course of his career and owes $1.7 million in taxes, Fox News reports.
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Prosecutors claim that Simmons earned millions of dollars from his songs, but avoided paying taxes on that income by setting up bank accounts in other people’s names and paying the majority of his own personal expenses in cash.
“For years the recording artist and performer known as DMX, made millions from his chart-topping songs, concert performances and television shows,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said. “But while raking in millions from his songs, including his 2003 hit ‘X Gon’ Give it to Ya,’ DMX didn’t give any of it to the IRS.”
The 46-year-old rapper was indicted by a Manhattan federal jury on Thursday and surrendered to authorities, according to Page Six. He is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Friday.