Kwame Kilpatrick's new lawyer flies high, pays late
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's new lawyer Willie Gary, who escorted the disgraced politician out of jail today, doesn't owe delinquent taxes -- anymore. But the Internal Revenue Service claimed Gary owed $3.8 million in taxes between 1998 and 2000, public records show.
The tax issues clash with Gary's gold-plated public image and his career path that has taken him from migrant worker to millionaire and being profiled on the TV show "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous."
The Web site of the so-called "Giant Killer" is wallpapered with photos of the Stuart, Fla., resident posing outside a mansion, with Bentleys and his custom-designed, 32-passenger Boeing 737 dubbed "Wings of Justice II." The plane's $11 million interior features an 18-karat gold sink, plush leather seats, carpet, a $1.2 million sound system, and a full-service kitchen, according to the Web site.
Kilpatrick might have monogrammed French cuffs that read "Mayor," but Gary's got the letter "G" painted on his plane's tailfin.
What was owed:
- On Oct. 23, 2006, the IRS filed an $815,939 lien against Gary and his wife Gloria for unpaid income taxes, according to Martin County (Fla.) Circuit Court records. The couple owed the money from 1998 and 2000, according to this copy of the lien. The taxes were satisfied two months later, records show.
- On Nov. 14, 2000, the IRS filed a $2.98 million lien against the couple for unpaid income taxes, according to Martin County Circuit Court records. The couple owed the money from 1999, according to this public record. The taxes were satisfied in September 2001, records show.
His side:
Gary's public relations staff did not respond to an e-mail or phone calls seeking comment today.
Click the video below to take a tour of Gary's house and plane.
