.@TheRevAl Sharpton sells his life story rights for $531,000 — to his own charity nyp.st/2BLjnXW via @nypmetro
Sharpton, who hosts the “PoliticsNations” show on MSNBC, managed to pay off a chunk of his tax debt to the state and feds in the last year.
He paid $172,112 to the state, but still owes $736,375 in personal income tax and taxes for three of his companies to Albany.
He paid $172,112 to the state, but still owes $736,375 in personal income tax and taxes for three of his companies to Albany.
City records show a $1.3 million tax lien to the IRS was satisfied in February, but records show he still has $2.5 million in outstanding federal liens against him and one of his companies.
Nonprofit experts said the transaction could be troubling because NAN — whose mission includes criminal justice reform and police accountability — was doing business with its president.
“When I see this kind of thing, it just makes me roll my eyes because there’s so much potential for funny business,” said Linda Sugin, a Fordham University Law School professor and associate dean.
The organization’s tax filing noted that the board’s unnamed “executive committee independently approved” the deal.
But Sugin questioned such how such independence was achieved.
But Sugin questioned such how such independence was achieved.
“In this case, it’s really difficult because of his role in the organization and just because of his overall influence,” she said.
Daniel Borochoff, the head of Charity Watch, said the transaction would have been “a lot cleaner” if Sharpton sold the rights himself to a production company and then donated any profit in excess of $531,000 to NAN.
The nonprofit took in $6.3 million in revenue last year, up from $5.8 million the year before, according to its tax filings.
