Justice agrees to pay $5 million in IRS tax debt after US Attorney General files suit

By RealWV staff,

WASHINGTON, DC — In a court filing on Monday, the “Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service, a delegate of the Secretary of Treasury, and at the direction of the Attorney General of the United States” took action to collect more than $5 million in tax debts owed by Jim and Cathy Justice of Lewisburg, WV.

Jim Justice, a Republican, is a former two-term governor and current US Senator. The tax debt goes back to 2009, the year when Justice sold his mines to the Russian company Mechel for more than $400 million.

After previously denying that he owed taxes, instead saying the IRS owed him, Justice’s attorneys later on Monday filed a joint motion for consent judgment. That motion means Justice agreed that the debt was his to pay and that he would pay it, or else face further tax penalties.

Three weeks ago, Justice was asked about the tax debt when speaking to reporters. He said at the time, “And, still, all I can say to you is simply this: When all is said and done, I will promise you to God above, that what will happen is we will, Jim will, end up with significantly more dollars from the IRS than what we owe the IRS. It’s just a situation that we’ve gotta go through.” 

Justice argued that the IRS came after him for political reasons under the Biden administration, but it was the Trump administration who filed the motion in court yesterday.

In addition, four liens against Justice family properties by the state amount to $1,361,906.41 in unpaid taxes plus accrued interest and penalties remain outstanding.