DOJ seeks judgment on $1.2 million tax debt from Michael Jackson and Shakira Music Producer
United States v. Duplessis , D.N.J., No. 2:26-cv-05956
The IRS is asking a Court to order music producer Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis to pay over $1.2 million in unpaid taxes. The government’s collection period was extended because Duplessis made several offers in compromise and requests for installment agreements.
Holding
The Department of Justice sued to turn Duplessis’s federal tax debts into a Court judgment, saying he owes $1,207,393.42 in taxes, penalties, and interest for 2008, 2009, and 2024. The government says the lawsuit is on time because settlement talks and collection alternatives extended the deadlines.
Why It Matters
This is a collection case, not a dispute over whether the taxes were correctly assessed.
The case shows how offers in compromise and installment agreement requests can significantly extend the IRS’s ten-year collection period.
Taxpayers and practitioners often focus on the original collection statute expiration date. This filing demonstrates why every tolling event must be analyzed before concluding a liability is time-barred.
The case involves a well-known music producer whose career spans more than three decades and includes work with artists such as Shakira, The Fugees, Michael Jackson, and Carlos Santana.
Key Facts
Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis is a music producer who has worked in the music industry since the early 1990s.
The IRS alleges he owes $1,207,393.42 as of February 27, 2026. The amount includes accrued penalties and interest, with additional amounts continuing to accrue.
The liabilities relate to tax years 2008, 2009, and 2024.
The complaint alleges Duplessis pursued multiple collection alternatives with the IRS over more than a decade.
Since 2010, he has submitted three separate offers in compromise. According to the complaint, those offers were either withdrawn or rejected.
The government filed the lawsuit on May 26, 2026.
Statutory or Regulatory Framework
§6502 generally gives the IRS 10 years from the date of assessment to collect a tax liability.
Certain taxpayer actions suspend, or toll, that period.
Pending installment agreement requests suspend collection activity and extend the collection statute.
Pending offers in compromise also suspend the collection statute, with additional extension periods after rejection or termination.
Government’s Arguments
The government argued:
Duplessis has not paid the assessed liabilities.
Multiple offers in compromise and installment agreement requests suspended the collection statute for thousands of days.
The 2008 collection statute was extended by 2,317 days and remains open until August 30, 2026.
The 2009 collection statute was extended by 2,173 days and remains open until August 5, 2026.
The United States is entitled to a judgment for the unpaid balance.
The Takeaway
The celebrity angle draws attention, but the main tax lesson is about how the collection statute works. This case is a clear example of how repeated negotiations with the IRS can give the government many more years to collect, allowing the DOJ to go after debts over 15 years old.
List of Citations
§6502(a) — Ten-year statute for IRS collections.
§§6331(i)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2) — Tolling rules for installment agreements and offers in compromise.
United States v. Duplessis, No. 2:26-cv-05956 (D.N.J. filed May 26, 2026) — DOJ suit seeking to reduce tax assessments to judgment.