Todd Williamson/WireImageNicolas Cage may have been ripped to shreds recently for his ghastly Ghost Rider sequel, but hey—it pays the bills!
And in this case, he's got one verrrry big bill. The actor has plunked down $6.25 million to help pay off the massive back taxes he owes the IRS, according to documents obtained by E! News. The payment covers taxes owed on his 2007 earnings.
And while you'd think that amount would shave a huge chunk off his bill, well, apparently not!
How much does he still owe the IRS?
In 2010, he told People that he owed $14 million in back taxes. It's not clear how much else of that he's paid between then and now, but, if you throw in his recent $6.25 million settlement, that still puts him in the neighborhood of $7 million—a hefty chunk o' cash to pony up!
And that not all he's had to pay over the years.
"Over the course of my career I have paid at least $70 million in taxes," he explained to People. "However, I am under new business management and am happy to say that I am current for 2009. All taxes will be paid including any to-be-determined state taxes."
In 2009, the government placed a tax lien on Cage's real-estate holdings and ended up foreclosing on four of his homes. Two, in New Orleans, sold for a combined $6.8 million. His L.A. mansion was eventually snapped up for $10.5 million, while one in Las Vegas went for $4.95 million. (Insert Leaving Las Vegas joke here.)
He was also forced to unload a ridonc 28-room castle (!) he owned in Germany.
Talk about a taxing situation!
Hopefully, with this recent tax payment, Cage is slowly getting back in the clear. Does this mean we'll be spared any future Ghost Rider flicks?