Ja Rule Pleads Guilty To $3M Tax Evasion In US

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by David Porter

Associated Press

NEWARK, New Jersey - Rapper and actor Ja Rule admitted Tuesday that he failed to pay taxes on more than $3 million in income, pleading guilty to tax evasion in federal court in New Jersey.

The platinum-selling rapper earned the money between 2004 and 2006 while he lived in Saddle River, an upscale community in northern New Jersey.

As part of a plea agreement, the government dismissed two counts against him for unpaid taxes on income earned in 2007 and 2008.

Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, is expected to be sentenced on the tax evasion charges in June. He faces up to one year in prison and $100,000 in fines on each count.

He also faces sentencing June 8 in New York on an attempted weapon possession charge that he pleaded guilty to in December. He has agreed to a two-year prison term in that case.

Police say they found a loaded gun in a rear door of his luxury sports car when it was stopped for speeding after a July 2007 concert.

Ja Rule, 35, was nominated for a 2002 best rap album Grammy Award for ``Pain is Love.'' His movie credits include 2001's ``The Fast and the Furious'' and 2003's ``Scary Movie 3.''

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