'Survivor's' Richard Hatch Surrenders to Prison Officials

Reality bites for former Survivor winner Richard Hatch. Hatch on Monday surrendered to U.S. marshals in Rhode Island to serve a nine-month prison sentence. 

Hatch, 49, failed to pay the taxes due on his $1 million winnings from the first season of the CBS show "Survivor." U.S. District Court Judge William Smith ordered Hatch to serve time in prison. Hatch, currently staring on Celebrity Apprentice, maintains his innocence and plans to appeal the decision.

This isn't the first time Hatch ran into issues involving taxes. Richard Hatch was ordered to file amended returns after being sentenced to prison four years ago for failing to pay his taxes. Hatch served more than three years in prison for his tax dodging, but apparently didn't learn his lesson. Now Hatch has violated the terms of his probation by failing to file amended tax returns for 2000 and 2001.

That also means Hatch will be spared from hearing Donald Trump say "you're fired." Hatch's run on Celebrity Apprentice is obviously complicated a bit by prison. Hatch has officially surrendered to authorities today, TMZ reports.

Tax evasion laws make it a federal or state crime to purposefully avoid the payment of federal, state, or local taxes. A tax evasion conviction can result in penalties such as fines, incarceration, and asset forfeiture.

Judge Smith denied Richard Hatch's request to delay his surrender to authorities to begin a nine-month prison sentence for failing to pay taxes on his $1 million Survivor winnings, USA Today reports. "You don't have the option of engaging in this type of game or negotiation with the court ... It needs to be a severe punishment. That's the only thing that will deter you in the future," said Judge Smith, E! Online reports.

Related Resources:

• 'Survivor' star Richard Hatch presents himself to marshals in RI to begin 9-month prison term (Washington Post)
• If You Don't Pay Your Taxes: Things You Should Know (FindLaw)
• Wesley Snipes Must Report to Prison on Tax Evasion Sentence (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)