The trial of Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers was scheduled for today (March 8, 2005).
The 63-year-old singer was accused of avoiding paying millions in taxes, from the years 1976-1996. The Isley’s were no stranger to issues with the tax man.
In fact, in 1979, the entire Isley Brothers singing group wound up with tax problems with the IRS. The feds claimed the group owed $600,000, in addition to another $63,000 from their Mount Kisco, New York health spa and restaurant.
The IRS also seized Ronald Isley’s $2 million unfinished mansion in Alpine, New Jersey. According to the IRS, Ronald Isley was “pathological” about avoiding his taxes, resulting in the the trial in 2005.
The government claimed Ronald had deposited his dead brother O’Kelly’s royalty checks, spent millions from his business accounts for personal expenses, while paying band members in cash, all to avoid paying taxes.
He was found guilty and in 2006, Ronald Isley was sentenced three years in prison at the Federal Correctional Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he battled kidney cancer.
The legendary Ronald Isley was released from prison in April of 2010.
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