TaxEvasion

From hip replacements to pole dancing classes, here are some of the most outlandish deductions taxpayers have ever attempted to claim. You won't believe what these people tried that their accountants said wouldn't fly -- and you really won't believe what did (literally).

If you have proof of financial crime -- corporate malfeasance or tax evasion, say -- you shouldn't keep it to yourself: Rewards for whistleblowers can reach as high as 15 to 30 percent of the money recovered by the government. Read on for some recent examples of richly rewarded whistleblowing, as well as tips for anyone thinking of blowing the whistle.

When people play fast and loose with their taxes, they often leave their spouses -- and ex-spouses -- in the dark. Until now, those innocent wives and husbands had only two years to file for relief, even if they didn't know about the problem until it was too late. Now, the IRS is eliminating the deadline.

Microsoft delivers blowout earnings, and shares open lower the following morning. It seems bizarre, but it's part of a larger trend in technology stocks. And Wall Street's muted reaction is a sign that investors are finally catching on to Microsoft's game -- i.e., avoiding US taxes.

Rapper and actor Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, pleaded guilty Tuesday to failing to pay federal income taxes on more than $3 million earned between 2004 and 2006. He faces up to three years in prison for the charges, as well as penalties.

"Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis may have been on the naughty list this year -- and he's making a federal case out of it. Francis has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the IRS has targeted him unfairly for enforcement. According to TMZ, the suit alleges that the IRS unlawfully froze $33...

Earlier this month, Girls Gone Wild promoter Joe Francis plea-bargained his way out of a possible prison sentence for charges related to filing false tax returns. By pleading guilty to filing false tax returns and bribing Nevada jail workers, Mr. Francis was sentenced to time served and one year of...

With foreclosures, gas prices, and credit card default rates all on the rise, a lot of people are looking for ways to earn extra cash. Normally you don't think of the IRS as a way to make money, but there may be an exception: If your boss or someone else you know is cheating on taxes and you feel...

Former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell, now a host on Turner Classic Movies' "Under the Influence," is reportedly in big trouble with the IRS: The agency claims he owes half a million bucks in back taxes. The Detroit News breaks it down: The IRS filed a $91,968 lien against Mitchell...

Just when you thought the only people you had to worry about offending with your Facebook profile were prospective employers, parents, and creepy sex offenders, The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that tax collectors are going online to hunt down deadbeats. According to the...