NAMES IN THE NEWS : IRS Cites Foxx Expenditures

Comedian Redd Foxx was paid $500,000 for his role in the movie “Harlem Nights” and spent $373,000 of it on “wine, women, song and gambling,” the Internal Revenue Service says.

Such expenditures make it unlikely that the IRS can reach agreement with Foxx on his tax troubles, IRS attorney Rollin Thorley told a federal bankruptcy judge Thursday.

Foxx, who gained fame playing a junk dealer on the TV show “Sanford and Son” and who now performs at a Las Vegas resort, filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy law in 1983. He owes the IRS more than $900,000 in taxes, penalties and interest.

The earnings on the recent movie were revealed as Foxx appeared in court to try to block a public auction of more than 400 items of personal property seized in an IRS raid in November.

The items, including his Las Vegas home, several cars and jewelry, were to be sold last month. The sale was delayed while a federal judge tried to decide whether the IRS or the bankruptcy court had first claim on the property.

Bankruptcy Judge Clive Jones ordered the property seized by the IRS to be held “in limbo” for 60 days while lawyers try to reach agreement.

Foxx failed in bids to block the IRS from seizing his paychecks for back taxes.