'Survivor' winner accused of not paying taxes now owes triple the prize
'Survivor' winner accused of not paying taxes now owes triple the prize
Jack Perry, Providence JournalSat, March 28, 2026 at 1:49 AM UTC
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More than a quarter century after he won the first season of "Survivor," Richard Hatch is still battling the federal government over taxes it claims he failed to pay on his prize winnings.
Only now, the amount that the government claims the Rhode Island native owes has, with penalties, ballooned to more than $3.2 million, well beyond his original winnings total of about $1,010,000.
In its effort to get that money, the federal government won a judgment against the reality TV star on March 17, but Hatch, acting as his own lawyer, filed a notice two days later, on March 19, that he will appeal to the United States Court of Appeals.
U.S. District Court Judge John M. McConnell, on March 17, ruled in a civil case that Hatch owes the federal government more than $3,293,000 for his federal income tax liabilities. The final bill is likely to be higher since it will include statutory additions from and after May 13, 2024, including interest.
Richard Hatch, of "Survivor" and reality television fame, sat down with Mark Patinkin in Newport to talk about where his life is now.
McConnell wrote that his final judgment allows the United States to start to use the Federal Debt Collection Procedure to collect the payment.
Did Hatch give property to his sister to avoid paying?
The federal government has placed federal tax liens against two properties it says Hatch owns in Newport. The government claims Hatch deeded both properties to his sister, Kristen Hatch, to avoid having to pay. It claims Kristen Hatch is "a mere nominee of Mr. Hatch, the true and equitable owner of said property."
"Richard H. Hatch, Jr., transferred record title of the Real Properties to Kristin M. Hatch with the actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud the creditors of Richard H. Hatch, Jr., including the United States, and thus was fraudulent," the government said.
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Hatch is appealing to the District Court's ruling, he confirmed via text to The Providence Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. He said in the message that he's confident the appellate court's review will result in "a just outcome."
"I have spent 25 years trying to do the right thing, and I remain committed to resolving this matter fairly," Hatch said.
Who is Richard Hatch?
Hatch, 64, from Newport, Rhode Island, helped make "Survivor" the biggest show on TV and whet the country's appetite for reality TV when he outfoxed his fellow castaways in Borneo to win the first season in 2000.
Hatch's face and most of his body became recognizable across the country since he famously spent much of his island time naked. Despite that level of notoriety, the government claimed Hatch didn't claim his "Survivor" winnings. He was convicted of tax evasion in January 2006.
In May 2006, Hatch was sentenced to 51 months in prison with three years of supervised release. Hatch was also required to file amended income tax returns for the 2000 and 2001 tax years and pay all taxes due those years, but he failed to do so, according to the government.
After Hatch continued refusing to pay, the United States government filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court, Providence, in September 2022, requesting a judgment on unpaid federal income tax liabilities, and enforcement of federal tax liens against two Newport properties the government said Hatch owned.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Survivor' winner Richard Hatch now owes three times his prize pot
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