O.J. Simpson and Dionne Warwick are among the worst tax debtors in California.
The California Franchise Tax Board says Simpson, a former all-pro football player acquitted of murder in a high-profile 1995 trial, owes California $1.44 million, while Warwick, a Grammy Award-winning singer, owes $2.67 million.
Joining Simpson and Warwick among the state's top 250 tax debtors is comedian David "Sinbad" Adkins, who owes $2.14 million.
Representatives for Simpson, Warwick, and Sinbad did not respond to requests for comment. Tax Board spokeswoman Denise Azimi said on October 17 that the top 250 tax debtors owed the state more than $249 million. California, which routinely faces budget shortfalls, has in recent years made a concerted effort to collect overdue taxes. Lawmakers last year approved a web site, which names tax debtors as a form of public shaming.
"Each year, California loses more than $6.5 billion in unpaid taxes," said John Chiang, the state controller and chairman of the Franchise Tax Board. "Hopefully, this action will encourage these taxpayers to come forward, pay what they owe, and quickly help the Franchise Tax Board to remove their names from the list."