Rapper Twista Faces 5 Years in Prison After Failing To Pay Income Taxes

Chicago rap veteran Twista has pleaded guilty in federal court after prosecutors accused him of dodging hundreds of thousands of dollars in income taxes over multiple years.

According to court docs filed this week, the 52-year-old, born Carl Mitchell, entered a guilty plea last month in U.S. District Court ... admitting to five counts of willfully failing to pay income tax.

Federal prosecutors say Twista failed to pay income taxes from 2019 through 2023 despite earning income from performances, streaming royalties, album sales, and music licensing.

Authorities say both the IRS and his accountants repeatedly warned him about his growing tax debt and his legal obligation to pay ... warnings that apparently didn't work during the years he failed to fork over his cash to Uncle Sam.

Instead of settling what he owed, prosecutors claim Twista entered agreements with a third-party company to receive advances on future royalty payments -- a move officials say was structured in a way that kept the IRS from accessing those funds.

Investigators also allege he continued spending heavily during the period in question, including purchasing at least four luxury vehicles, rather than using the money to address his tax liability. According to court records, Twista’s unpaid tax obligations date back to 2011 and total more than $440,000.

Each of the five counts carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison, though any punishment will ultimately be determined by a federal judge at sentencing.