Fat Joe Begins 4 Month Prison Sentence For Tax Evasion

Rapper Fat Joe has turned himself into Miami Police today (26th August) in order to serve a four month prison sentence. Fat Joe -whose real name is Joseph Cartagena- was sentenced in December for tax evasion. The charges refer to Fat Joe's tax evasion between 2007 and 2008, he managed to avoid paying taxes totalling to more than $1 million.

The New York born rapper was initially facing up to two years in prison but his sentence was altered to four months jail time. In addition to his four month sentence, Cartagena was ordered to pay a $15 000 fine. He will also be serving a year's supervised release, according to TMZ. The 43-year-old is currently being held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami.

Fat Joe is best known for his song 'Lean Back' which was a huge hit in 2004. The father of three released a single earlier this year after a three year hiatus. His single 'Ballin'' featured Teyana Taylor and Wiz Khalifa, Fat Joe is currently working on an album, however this has been temporarily postponed whilst he serves his prison time.

Fat Joe is not the only celebrity to assume he could avoid paying taxes. He joins the likes of Martha Stewart, who tarnished her wholesome reputation by failing to pay taxes on her New York house, according to HowStuffWorks. Country singer Willie Nelson; American football player O.J. Simpson; actor Nicholas Cage; and the late Judy Garland are other famous celebrity tax evaders. More recently The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Guidice and her husband Joe have been accused of 'misleading the IRS', effectively tax evasion. Fat Joe's trial may be over but the reality star's ordeal is on-going.