BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. – A Bloomfield Hills mansion could soon be the property of the feds, who claim the owner owes millions in unpaid taxes. The homeowner is a familiar name for anyone involved in Metro Detroit media.
Kevin Adell has his hands in radio and TV. Now, the IRS has its eyes on his home, claiming he failed to pay property and estate taxes.
As of Tuesday (April 25) afternoon, a spokesperson for Adell says his client has yet to be served with the lawsuit, but he promises to fight it. He disputes the government’s claims he owes millions of dollars.
Adell, who is the Wadl-TV, and the Word Network owner, is facing legal trouble for unpaid taxes on his Bloomfield Hills mansion and his father’s estate.
A complaint filed by the federal government alleges he owes nearly $9.7 million in unpaid estate taxes and $8.1 million in unpaid gift taxes on the Adell estate.
The government also requests an order to enforce federal tax liens against and sell the Bloomfield Hills home.
“Mr. Adell has not been served with the lawsuit yet. Mr. Adell will vigorously defend the lawsuit. The case is about tax due from his father who died in 2006, not Mr. Adell’s tax. The time for enforcement by the IRS has expired. The facts stated by the Government are either wrong or not complete, so the substance of the case is wrong. The home was not part of Mr. Adell’s father’s estate, so it has nothing to do with this case. The home is in an irrevocable trust with an independent Trustee. As you know, this is just the beginning of a case that will take years to be resolved.”
Spokesperson for Adell
According to its website, Adell and his father, Franklin, founded the Religious Network, the Word Network, in 2000.
The network is available in 200 countries.
The United States generally has 10 years to bring a proceeding in court to collect unpaid taxes. But in this case, the government says the collection statute of limitations was suspended until Adell defaulted on deferred payments.