# Gee Richard, I guess no one at the IRS saw you win that million dollars on Survivor **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 19, 2005, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464 "2005-01-19T00:32:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/1 "2005-01-19T00:32:49Z")
Mr. Hatch is apparently not quite as canny as he seemed on the original survivor. What was he thinking? “Hmmm, I won $ 1.000.000. on a show with _huge_ ratings. Well surely no one at the IRS will notice if I don’t declare it.” [Hatch to plead guilty to tax evasion - First ‘Survivor’ winner failed to report $1 million winnings from show](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6839954/) > [@](#): > > PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Richard Hatch, who became a millionaire when he won the first-ever “Survivor” reality show, has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of tax evasion for failing to report income, including the $1.01 million he won on the show. > > Federal prosecutors charged that Hatch, 43, filed false 2000 and 2001 tax returns, omitting his income from the CBS show, as well as another $321,000 he was paid by a Boston radio station. > > The penalty could be up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. However, as part of the plea agreement filed Tuesday in federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s office said it would recommend a lesser sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/2 "2005-01-19T00:49:31Z")
He thought he could hide it behind his left nut. That’s why it was hanging out all the time. What a doofus. I thought he knew how to play the game. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/3 "2005-01-19T00:54:59Z")
Sheesh. Wonder if he mentioned the Aztek, (or whatever vehicle it was that he won) either. Maybe he was hoping they’d think that it was really the Richard Hatch from Battlestar Galactica who was filing. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/4 "2005-01-19T00:57:34Z")
This is the kind of story that warms the cockles of my heart. In fact, my cockles are so warm I may be able to turn the heat down tonight. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/5 "2005-01-19T01:03:20Z")
If I never hear **duffer** talk about his warm cockles again, it’ll be too soon. Pervert. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/6 "2005-01-19T01:05:51Z")
He must have thought he was safe from being audited so long as he kept supplying the IRS with food by spear-fishing every day. After all, no one at the IRS knows how to spear-fish, so they’d have to eat nothing but rice and tapioca roots if they threw him in jail. Hubris, thy name is Hatch. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/7 "2005-01-19T02:50:43Z")
So much for “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.” These three do not apply to the IRS. Richard, honey, you’re going to the federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison. Robin ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/8 "2005-01-19T03:07:42Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > So much for “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.” These three do not apply to the IRS. > > Richard, honey, you’re going to the federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison. > > Robin Eh, he’ll just enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/9 "2005-01-19T03:10:09Z")
A radio station paid him $300k? Geez, I’m in the wrong field! ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/10 "2005-01-19T03:53:30Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > Richard, honey, you’re going to the federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison. Unlikely, considering it’s white collar tax evasion. He’ll probably be in minimum security. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/11 "2005-01-19T04:17:49Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > A radio station paid him $300k? Geez, I’m in the wrong field! It was worth it to them! He could always be counted on to get them fresh Orange Roughy and Lobsters. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/12 "2005-01-19T04:38:45Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > so they’d have to eat nothing but rice and tapioca roots. You say that like it’s a bad thing ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/13 "2005-01-19T04:43:16Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > Unlikely, considering it’s white collar tax evasion. He’ll probably be in minimum security. With a decent lawyer, his choice of prison was included in the plea bargain. How fucking stupid! It doesn’t say much for the IRS either - it took four years to catch him? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/14 "2005-01-19T04:59:21Z")
It’s more than just a million smackaroos, [according to TheSmokingGun.com](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0118051hatch1.html). ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/15 "2005-01-19T05:09:51Z")
Just name-dropping here… My wife and I actually met the guy at a restaurant in Middletown, RI while the show was first airing (and before the winner was known). We almost didn’t recognize him because he was much thinner, had shaved, and was wearing clothes. 😃 He seemed like an intelligent guy, and was actually pretty personable. On the other hand, he keeps having these run-ins with the law. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/16 "2005-01-19T06:00:33Z")
What did he think CBS was going to do? Pay him under the table? Or in cash? I’m almost speechless at his stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/17 "2005-01-19T07:45:31Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > It doesn’t say much for the IRS either - it took four years to catch him? When you file your tax return, the IRS waits about a year before auditing it just in case you file a 1040X or something. The audit (if there is fraud) takes at least a year, then after the IRS agent hands the case over to federal proscecutors, it takes a year + to file charges and such. The IRS were likely “on” to Hatch within a year. In the case of non-filers, it takes even longer. Many dudes think they have “gotten away with it” when in fact some IRS agent is working away on their doom. I still wonder _why_ he did that. There are some possible arguements like Foreign Income exclusion. If anyone finds out Hatch’s side of the stroy, I’d like to see that. It is unlikely that Hatch will do much Prison time. Few do for simple tax evasion. But the costs & penalties are staggering. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/18 "2005-01-19T07:48:43Z")
Note that Hatch didn’t even file until Nov 2002. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/19 "2005-01-19T11:13:42Z")
I don’t know for sure that this is true, but I’m sure the IRS takes special interest in high-profile winners of large prizes like game show and lottery winnings to make sure all taxes are paid. Robin ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464/20 "2005-01-19T15:32:11Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > I don’t know for sure that this is true, but I’m sure the IRS takes special interest… So are you sure or not sure? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gee-richard-i-guess-no-one-at-the-irs-saw-you-win-that-million-dollars-on-survivor/285464.md?page=2)