By Megan Sims
cleveland.com
(TNS)
A federal judge has ordered Richard Hatch to pay $3.3 million in back taxes and interest, bringing a major development to a 25-year legal dispute over his winnings from the inaugural season of “Survivor,” Page Six reports.
U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued the final judgment, clearing the way for the IRS to collect the debt stemming from the $1 million prize Hatch won in 2000 when he became the reality show’s first champion, according to Realtor.com.
Hatch announced plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston.
“I am confident that the appellate court’s review of the full record, including evidence that was not adequately addressed below, will result in a just outcome,” Hatch said in a statement. “I have spent 25 years trying to do the right thing in a complicated situation, and I remain committed to resolving this matter fairly.”
The legal battle began after “Survivor‘s” first season ended. The IRS accused Hatch of failing to pay taxes on his prize money, a car he received on the show, and income from co-hosting a radio program, according to court documents.
Federal prosecutors indicted him on felony tax evasion and fraud charges, but a jury in 2006 convicted him only of filing false personal income tax returns.
In court filings, Hatch has maintained he believed CBS or the show’s production company should have covered taxes on his winnings, Page Six said. District court proceedings over the years have repeatedly ruled against him.
A separate judicial ruling provided Hatch some relief by protecting two Newport, Rhode Island, houses owned by his sister from government seizure, the outlet noted.
Federal authorities had argued Hatch transferred the properties to avoid debt collection, but a judge denied the request, finding the government failed to prove Hatch held an interest in the homes and that the transfers were time-barred.
In his March 18 final order, McConnell stated no outstanding issues remained regarding the government’s effort to reduce the tax assessments to a judgment, according to Page Six.
The judge also ruled this month that Hatch cannot challenge the government’s refusal to renew his passport, as the IRS has designated him a “seriously delinquent taxpayer.”
Hatch does not appear among the contestants on “Survivor 50,” currently airing and featuring winners from previous seasons, Page Six noted.
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©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit cleveland.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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Tags: "Survivor", back taxes, court rulings, Income Taxes, IRS, Richard Hatch, Taxes
