The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has filed two liens on claims of unpaid taxes by Senator Jim Justice and his wife Cathy, adding up to more than $8 million.
The filings were first reported by Politico’s Ry Rivard.
MetroNews reached out to Justice through his Senate office and through the communications team at The Greenbrier Resort, owned by the Justice family, but received no response.
The liens were filed by the IRS Oct. 2 with the Greenbrier County Clerk.
“We have made a demand for payment of the liability, but it remains unpaid,” the IRS wrote. “Therefore, there is a lien in favor of the United States on all property and rights belonging to this taxpayer for the amount of these taxes, and additional penalties, interest and costs that may accrue.”
The full amount claimed by the IRS across two filings is $8,053,554.37, and the sums go back years.
$3,060,855.27 is listed for the tax year 2009.
$4,957,763.72 for 2017.
$24,044.80 for tax year 2017.
And $10,890.58 for 2022.
Notably, 2009 was the year that Jim Justice sold the family coal company, Bluestone Coal, to the Russian company Mechel for about $436 million in cash and stock.
The recent liens indicate the IRS is going through a formal procedure called a collection information statement process, which the federal agency uses when a taxpayer has neglected or failed to pay a tax debt.
When a tax lien is filed, the IRS is making a legal claim to property, including real estate, personal property and financial assets until the debt is settled.
When the debt is fully paid, the IRS issues a certificate of release, removes the claim on the property and clears the public record.
In 2021, the IRS filed several liens on Justice business entities — a distinction from the current filings, which appear to be on the Justices themselves.
Asked to explain, Justice, then the Republican governor, said coverage of his family’s companies should be more positive.
“I’m super respectful and I try to answer any question,” Justice said during a 2021 briefing.
“I’ve told everyone that if you’ll tend to the business of the state of West Virginia as I’m tending to the business of the state and you’ll just stay out of my family’s personal stuff you’ll find the final outcomes will be exactly what I’ve told you they’ll be. They’ll be worked out.”
Last year, the State of West Virginia’s Tax Division placed a series of liens on The Greenbrier resort because of sales taxes that were collected but not remitted to the state.
Justice then said the business properties were on a payment plan to settle the tax debt with the state over a period of time.
“There are two, you know, payment plans with the tax department and they’re completely current. All’s good in the neighborhood there,” Justice said of that debt to the state.
Within the past few weeks, hundreds of lots at Glade Springs owned by Justice Holdings have gone up for an Oct. 29 foreclosure sale over unpaid community association fees.
Many of those same lots are listed as having delinquent property taxes now dating back a couple of years, according to reporting by The Charleston Gazette-Mail. Raleigh County’s delinquent property list is set to be certified to the state Auditor’s Office on Nov. 1.