Recently the popular secular outlet TMZ ran a news story putting R&B turned Christian music artist Montell Jordan on blast. TMZ reported that Montell Jordan owed back taxes to the IRS from 1999-2001.
Jordan is hugely known for his hit song ‘This is How We Do It,’ which made him millions. The artist now is a Pastor and Christian music artist, and the IRS doesn’t care. They originally filed a tax lien on Montell Jordan in 2004 and just recently they re-filed it.
PATH was contacted directly by Montell Jordan’s camp and we’ve got information that has shed light on the matter. Montell Jordan has released the following statement to clarify IRS proceedings:
I am writing this in hopes to assist bringing clarity to the numerous media outlets reporting of obtained information regarding my personal finances and the IRS.
In 2004 I filed a Bankruptcy. A combination of making unwise personal spending decisions, being financially ill-advised by council and external life circumstances lead to this decision to file Bankruptcy over 8 years ago. I have taken full responsibility for this life experience. This is all public record.
I also sold my music catalog to a company in 2006 to honor repayment of my debt to creditors and the IRS. At that time the amount was in excess of $500,000 and payment was remitted directly to the Department of Trustees.
In September of 2007, the Bankruptcy was dismissed, yet the case has remained open for negotiations with the IRS regarding penalties and interest fees. It has been in the possession of the department of Trustees for 5 years. Since that time, the Trustee’s department on my behalf has received a total of $617,460.33. This is all public record.
The IRS has recently re-issued the previous liens (this is the “obtained” info referred to in the media reports) to ensure their claim with the Trustees to the monies that have already been collected and are due to be dispersed in the upcoming weeks. This is all public record.
After a long and difficult 8 year long life journey, this case is set to be closed following a hearing scheduled for May 1st, 2012. Upon the conclusion of this hearing, the Trustees will be administering the finances as they have determined. My statements can be validated thru the United States Bankruptcy Court. This is all public record. I am providing the credible media outlets that obtained these initial documents and reported the IRS’s re-filing of the $600K+ debt (on my behalf) with access to the additional information needed to accurately complete the full story behind the IRS’s claims, as this is all public record.
I am hopeful that the media outlets will use the same efforts that went into the initial reporting of this story for news and entertainment value to exercise journalistic integrity and report this statement as well.
Thanks and God Bless!
Montell Jordan
