Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., says he and his wife will pay more than $5 million in previously unpaid income taxes after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit. Court filings submitted Monday show the taxes date back as far as 2009.
Justice vowed to pay the hefty sum just hours after the DOJ sued him and his wife, according to ABC News. The department alleges that they repeatedly ignored IRS attempts to recover the money.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
“Despite notice and demand for payment of the assessments,” the suit read, “[Justice] and Cathy L. Justice have neglected or refused to make full payment of those assessments to the United States.”
According to ABC News, Justice owes $5,164,739.75, plus statutory interest and additional penalties.
A history of financial troubles
The back taxes are only one piece of Justice’s broader financial challenges. According to NBC News, a judge ordered the sale of six of Justice’s family companies last year to satisfy outstanding debt.
The family’s resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, also narrowly avoided foreclosure after debts were settled.
When speaking about those debts in October 2024, Justice said his companies are “complicated and complex.” He noted that his children “are doing a magnificent job” running them.
Justice has also suggested that collection efforts against him are politically motivated, the Associated Press reported.
Who is Jim Justice?
Justice, a Republican, entered the Senate in January after defeating his Democratic opponent by more than 40 points. It was a margin similar to President Donald Trump’s victory in the state.
Before entering politics, Justice was known as the heir to the Blackstone coal company in West Virginia.
