‘Empire’ star Terrence Howard under criminal investigation for alleged tax evasion

Maybe it's time to phone a friend?

“Empire” star Terrence Howard and his fiance are currently under investigation by the federal government for criminal tax evasion.

Blue Telusma

Jun 5, 2019

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Looks like Jussie Smollett isn’t the only Empire star facing legal trouble this year. It’s now being reported that his colleague Terrence Howard is currently being investigated by the federal government for criminal tax evasion.

According to The Blast, court documents confirm the feds are looking into alleged financial crimes committed not just by Howard, but also by his third wife Mira Howard and Universal Bridges Inc., a company owned by Mira.

Howard and his on -gain-off-again beloved were divorced, but reconciled and got re-engaged in December of 2018. Howard and his fiancée say they were only made aware that they were under investigation on May 20, 2019.

In response the couple has hired a high profile, criminal attorney to defend them in the investigation. Sources say in the last few weeks, federal investigators have already had initial inquires with the actor, who has had his share of tax issues over the years.

Just this past April, the 50 year old was hit with a tax lien by the State of California Franchise Tax Board for a whopping $143,538.61. This lien reportedly stems from taxes Howard owes from back in 2010. He was also slammed with tax liens from the federal government back in 2010 for $1.1 million and in 2006 for over $600,000.

This most recent and ongoing case stems out of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Howard’s criminal investigation is just the latest controversy to hit his Fox show which is slated to come back for its sixth and final season

Tuesday, the show’s co-creator, Lee Daniels, officially put an end to ongoing speculations about whether polarizing actor Jussie Smollett would be returning following allegations he staged an attack against himself.

In response to a story written in Variety reporting that the writers of the show were preparing for Smollett’s return, Daniels definitively tweeted back, “Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire.”