Reverend Al Sharpton Denies Owing $4.5M in Federal and State Taxes, Calls Report 'Ridiculous'

Al Sharpton, community leader, past presidential candidate and cable host, might have some serious money problems.

The 60-year old activist, who got his start preaching in Brooklyn churches at age 4, has, according to the The New York Times,“regularly sidestepped the sorts of obligations most people see as inevitable, like taxes, rent and other bills.” Records reviewed by newspaper show more than $4.5 million in current state and federal tax liens against him and his for-profit businesses.

Sharpton's National Action Network appears to have been sustained for years by not paying federal payroll taxes on its employees. In addition, Sharpton and the National Action Network have repeatedly failed to pay travel agencies, hotels and landlords, The New York Times reports.

The reverend is accused of leaning on the generosity of friends and sometimes even his organization, going so far as using its finances to help cover his daughters’ private school tuition.

Sharpton acknowledged his financial troubles in recent interviews and has said all of the debts were being paid. while pointing out that he had lent the organization money himself, while at times not taking a salary.

Some of Sharpton's financial messes are as follows:

• In 1990 he was acquitted of a felony charge that he stole $250,000 from his youth group.
• In 1993 he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for failing to file a state income tax return.
• In 1998 he lost a defamation suit that ordered him to pay a judgment of $65,000, which ended up in eventual wage garnishment.
• In 2009, when his group still owed $1.1 million in overdue payroll taxes, Sharpton began collecting a salary of $250,000 from National Action Network.

Sharpton has denied the charges brought to light by the The New York Times article, stating, according to CNN, that it is not possible for him to still ow $4.5 million.

"If we owed $4.5 million in '08 then how could we owe this now, unless you're saying that everybody just went to sleep on this and just gave us a pass, which is ridiculous," said Sharpton.