Richard Hatch Sentenced to 9 Months in Federal Prison

Former “Survivor” winner and Newport resident Richard Hatch was sentenced on Friday to nine months in federal prison for violating the terms of supervised release imposed by a U.S. District Court judge, U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha said in a press release. The sentencing is a result of Hatch’s May 2006 conviction for tax evasion.

According to the news release, Hatch, 55, formerly of Middletown, allegedly failed to file amended tax returns for 2000 and 2001, totaling more than $1.5 million in taxes and penalties owed to the IRS. Hatch now owes approximately two million dollars in total taxes and penalties, said court officials.

“The sentence imposed by Judge Smith, the maximum sentence allowed under the guidelines, sends the right message that regardless how hard you try to manipulate the system to avoid paying your taxes, in the end you will be held accountable,” Neronha said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Reich told the court at the sentencing on Friday that Hatch “acted with deliberation in failing to follow the terms of his supervised release” by failing to file and did not make any effort to pay the amount he owed in taxes and penalties to the IRS.

Hatch was convicted of tax evasion and filing a false return in January of 2006 when he failed to report approximately $1.4 million in earnings from “Survivor” and other sources. In May 2006, Hatch was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Ernest C. Torres to 51 months in federal prison and ordered to pay what he owed for 2000 and 2001, which at the time was calculated by the IRS to be around $474,971, plus interest and penalties.

U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith ordered Hatch to surrender to U.S. Marshals by noon on Monday to begin serving his sentence. Judge Smith also sentenced Hatch to 29 months of supervised release upon his release from prison under the condition that 25 percent of Hatch’s gross wages be provided for payment to the IRS.