Twista, whose real name is Carl Mitchell, has admitted to five counts of deliberately not paying taxes over a five-year span from 2019 to 2023.
At 52 years old, he owes the IRS over $440,000 in unpaid taxes and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison, according to documents from the Chicago federal court. Each charge carries a possible one-year sentence and a fine of $25,000.
The rapper pleaded guilty on June 24 and the court accepted this plea. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22. The breakdown of the tax debt reveals he owes $18,891.25 for 2019, $5,715.83 for 2020, $32,571.71 for 2021, $71,703 for 2022, and $49,102.73 for 2023.
In addition, unpaid taxes from earlier years between 2011 and 2018 have been noted. With added penalties and interest, the liabilities are recorded as $5,101.98 for 2011, $9,619.26 for 2012, $40,263.33 for 2014, $25,574.22 for 2015, $95,568.57 for 2016, $17,241.44 for 2017, and $69,706.59 for 2018.
The IRS alleges that Mitchell made agreements with a third-party company to receive advances on future royalties to avoid IRS levies. Twista allegedly received payments totaling $578,322.
Prosecutors further claim Twista spent this money on luxury cars instead of settling his tax debts. The court documents list purchased vehicles such as a 2015 BMW I8 worth nearly $81,894, a 2016 Tesla Model X worth about $65,099, a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette valued at roughly $100,354, and a 2025 Jeep Gladiator priced at approximately $64,401.
Twista gained national attention in the early 2000s for his rapid-fire rapping style. His 2004 album “Kamikaze” reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart. He has been part of notable songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including the chart-topping “Slow Jamz” with Ye and Jamie Foxx, “Overnight Celebrity,” which reached #6, and Trick Daddy’s “Let’s Go,” which peaked at #7.
Yo! Raps has contacted Twista’s legal representatives for their comments on the situation.
