Zugibe seems intent to bring Stephen Baldwin to task, and said “We cannot afford to allow wealthy residents to break the law by cheating on their taxes.” He also added, “The defendant’s repetitive failure t file returns and pay taxes over a period of several years contributes to the sweeping cutbacks and closures in local government and in our schools.”
However, records show that Stephen Baldwin went through a very bad patch of time in the past few years and had also filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Court documents show that he owed $1.2 million on two mortgages, $1 million in taxes and $70,000 on credit cards.
Stephen’s elder brother, Alec, told Piers Morgan on US TV on Thursday that Stephen’s mistake, “no different than millions of other people.”
Prosecutors in Rockland County have accused Stephen Baldwin of failing to pay state personal income taxes from 2008 to 2010. However, the Baldwin’s lawyer said that the actor had not committed any crime and he was working with the district attorney’s office and the New York State Tax Department to resolve any differences.
Baldwin appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Stephen said that he had already handed over a $100,000 check to the state on Thursday. Baldwin said, “My ability to make the payment I did today, is a sign to the state and district attorney, that I’m working to get this resolved.”