Celeb PR: Macy Gray Owes $268K in Back Taxes to IRS
-Everything PR Exclusive Reveals California Tax Franchise Board Names R & B Superstar as Among Most Delinquent Tax Payers in State-
Everything PR News has exclusively learned that celebrity R & B singer Macy Gray owes the California Tax Franchise Board $268,617.96 in unpaid taxes. The just-released government filing on the top delinquent tax payers in the State of California can be read here – and Gray can be found under her legal name, Natalie M Hinds.
The Grammy-award winning artist was born Natalie McIntyre, and was previously married to Tracey Hinds – we have confirmed she legally uses the name Natalie M. Hinds since 1998 when she divorced.
This is not the first time that she’s had issues with the IRS and paying her taxes. The California Tax Board – as well as other government agencies – have undertaken publicity campaigns, and public shaming of individuals and corporations by posting unpaid tax information on government websites.
A number of profile stories on Macy Gray have discussed her financial situation, including a 2012 Huffington Post feature story where she said that she does not know her net worth.
A self-professed major gambler, Gray told the UK Telegraph in December 2014 that her gambling losses would have paid for another house. In that story, she detailed other financial issues, including:
“I’m a spender, unfortunately. As soon as I get money, I can’t wait to spend it. That’s all I can think about; what I’m going to spend it on. I wish I was a saver.”
She has described her financial life as “…very up and down.” She said that money makes her happy, and it allows her to “…do the things that make you happy. You can afford to go all over the world but it doesn’t buy you love or happiness; but it actually does because you can afford to go to places where you meet the kind of guy you want to meet. It’s like the bridge to a lot of things. No matter how much you have, you can spend it very easily.”
Macy Gray/Natalie Hinds says her accountant manages her money although she goes over her allowance all the time, and that the biggest drain on her finances is taxes. She said “If you have a good year, and you make $10 million, that’s three mill to the government. Sometimes, by the time it’s due, you don’t have it anymore.”
The only other noticeable celebrity name on the just released list was Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers, who went to jail for tax evasion and owes $264,953.77 in taxes.
The government does not care how rich you are or how famous – they still insist on taxes being paid – and they count on public relations to help pressure people to pay.
