Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia has agreed to pay over $5 million in back taxes after a lawsuit was filed against him by the Justice Department concerning unpaid taxes that date back more than 15 years. The legal action, initiated in the Southern District of West Virginia, revealed that Justice and his wife had been notified by the Treasury Department regarding their tax obligations from 2009 but had not met these obligations.
The lawsuit seeks full payment of the debt owed, plus any additional relief deemed proper by the court. Shortly after the suit was filed, a subsequent agreement was reached, with the Justices committing to pay the full amount due, although a judge’s approval of this agreement is still pending.
Justice, who has served as a senator since January after taking over from Democrat Joe Manchin, did not provide immediate comments following the lawsuit’s announcement. The situation has drawn significant attention, particularly after it was reported last month that the IRS had placed liens of over $8 million against the couple for unpaid taxes dating back to 2009. Last year, a judge also ordered the sale of six of Justice’s family businesses to address outstanding debts.
The Justice family is well-known in West Virginia for owning the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, which narrowly avoided foreclosure after the family reached settlements on their debts. In a previous interview, Justice characterized his business dealings as “complicated and complex,” and he has suggested that the collection efforts are politically motivated.
Justice, a former billionaire, transitioned to the U.S. Senate after a significant electoral victory, winning his latest campaign by over 40 percentage points, reflecting a support level comparable to that of President Donald Trump in the state during the same election year. The ongoing developments regarding his financial obligations highlight both the challenges and scrutiny public figures can face concerning their financial practices.