Hatch guilty of failing to pay taxes on ‘Survivor’ winnings

Providence, R.I. – Richard Hatch, who won $1 million in the debut season of the reality show “Survivor,” was found guilty Wednesday of failing to pay taxes on his winnings and taken straight to jail.

Hatch remained calm as the court clerk read the verdict. He waved to family members, then was handcuffed and taken into custody after U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said he was a potential flight risk.

The charges carry up to 13 years in prison. Torres said he expected a sentence of between 33 months and 41 months, but it could be longer because prosecutors accuse Hatch of committing perjury during his testimony. Sentencing was scheduled for April 28.

Hatch, 44, also was convicted of evading taxes on $327,000 he earned as co-host of a Boston radio show and $28,000 in rent on property he owned.

Hatch was acquitted of seven bank, mail and wire fraud charges that related to his charity, Horizon Bound, an outdoors program he planned to open for troubled youth. Prosecutors claimed he spent the money on personal expenses, including tips to a limousine driver, dry cleaning and tens of thousands of dollars worth of improvements to a house he owned.

Former Village People star skips sentencing hearing

Redwood City, Calif. – Victor Willis, the original policeman in ’70s disco band the Village People, skipped a court hearing where he was due to be sentenced on drug and gun charges and now faces more than three years in prison, prosecutors said.

Willis, 54, had been scheduled to surrender Tuesday after four months on the run but he failed to show up for the hearing in San Mateo County Superior Court, prosecutors said. It was his second no-show.

He was facing a maximum of 16 months in state prison after pleading no contest to charges he had cocaine and a loaded handgun when he was arrested in Daly City in July. Prosecutors said he was on probation for another cocaine conviction at the time.

Willis was freed in lieu of $100,000 bail, but failed to show up for his sentencing hearing in October. His case was featured on the television crime show “America’s Most Wanted” in December. The segment is scheduled to re-air in February.

The songwriter and performer left the Village People in the late 1970s. His last known address was a trailer park in Daly City.

Michael Jackson spotted wearing robe, veil at mall

Manama, Bahrain – Michael Jackson visited a mall in Bahrain’s capital Wednesday, covering himself in a black abaya robe traditionally worn by conservative Bahraini women and a veil hiding his face.

The 47-year-old pop star was accompanied by three children, apparently his, whose faces were covered with dark scarves. They wore yellow shirts and sweat pants or khakis, without robes.

Jackson, who seems to be settling in the Persian Gulf, was seen leaving Marina Mall holding a young child by the hand. On the way out through a back door, he shook hands with security guards.

He was wearing an abaya, a robe with long sleeves, under which his pants, white shirt and men’s shoes could be seen. His head and face were wrapped in a black veil and he was wearing black gloves.

The veil, abaya and gloves were of a style typically worn by conservative Bahraini women, though Jackson appeared to be wearing them to hide his identity.