IRS accuses P. Diddy's restaurant of dining and dashing from tax debt
The Internal Revenue Service has rapped the knuckles of music mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, whose Atlanta eatery Justin's Restaurant owes $7,373 in federal taxes, records show.
The restaurant, named in honor of his son, opened in 1998 and specializes in upscale Southern and Caribbean cuisine. An identically named restaurant in New York City closed a few years ago.
What's owed:- The IRS filed a $7,373 tax lien against the restaurant on May 18 in the New York Department of State.
His side:
Combsââ,¬â"¢ spokesman blamed the tax debt on a series of errors. First, the IRS was sending notices to the restaurantââ,¬â"¢s old corporate address in New York -- one which hasnââ,¬â"¢t been used in about 10 years.
"The new address was on file with the IRS, so it is surprising this happened," the spokesman said.
Second, the company that handles payroll tax payments for Justin's apparently underpaid the IRS for taxes in 2007.
After being notified about the lien by The Tax Watchdog, Combsââ,¬â"¢ representatives scratched out a $7,373 check, which should arrive today, the Combs spokesman said.
