Earl Simmons, otherwise known as rapper DMX, has been arrested in New York on more than a dozen tax fraud charges.
The 'X Gon Give it to Ya' singer is alleged to have concealed millions of dollars from authorities and avoided paying $1.7 million (£1.29 million) in taxes.
The 46-year-old is accused of doing everything he could to avoid detection from the IRS, by refusing to use a personal bank account as well as utilising others to pay his personal expenses, reports the Washington Post.
If convicted on every count, the maximum prison sentence he could receive is 44 years.
Credit: PA
In a statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Joon Kim says: "Celebrity rapper or not, all Americans must pay their taxes, and together with our partners at the IRS, we will pursue those who deliberately and criminally evade this basic obligation of citizenship."
While IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge James Robnett adds: "While most individuals file truthful tax returns and pay their taxes, the indictment against Mr. Simmons alleges various tax crimes, including that he failed to file personal tax returns for several years and did not pay his fair share of taxes."
Simmons will appear before a New York court later today.
But it's not his first run in with law enforcement; he's had legal issues running as early as 1998. The late 90s issues stem from weapons possession charges as well as animal cruelty.
DMX in 2003. Credit: PA
In the early 2000s, he was charged several times with marijuana and cocaine possession.
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Simmons was also arrested in that time for violating parole, animal cruelty, criminal mischief, driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempting to carjack a vehicle.
After several more arrests, he was released from jail in 2010 where a TV show was meant to track his road to recovery after battling drug issues. But he was arrested three weeks later and the series never got off the ground.
He also has a history of financial criminality, with police arresting DMX in 2015 for outstanding child support. Simmons was sent to jail again a month after that arrest for failing to pay $400,000 (£305,000) in child support to his ex-wife and their four children.
DMX shot to fame in the late 90s following the release of his single 'Get at Me Dog' and his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. His most recent track dropped at the start of 2017, called 'Bain Iz Black', which was produced by Swizz Beats.
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