I often wish TMZ would fill in more details in their stories. They usually just list the facts, and when they’re particularly explosive, I want to know more dirt. In this recent story on Joe Francis’ money problems, they just let us know in a matter-of-fact way that the IRS seized $100 million dollars in cash from Francis’ accounts, that they’ve placed a whopping $33 million lien on his assets, and that he’ll probably have to declare bankruptcy.

Francis avoided additional jail time on federal tax evasion charges by copping a plea in September, which reduced his sentence to time already served and ordered him to pay just $250,000 in restitution. (He chose to serve time on tax evasion charges in a relatively cushy county jail in Nevada over a hardcore jail in Florida, where he was being held for contempt of court. He could have easily met bail in Nevada, but that would have meant returning to Florida, where he was being held without bail, and where jail reduced him to a blubbering mess. He eventually copped a plea in Florida.) Now the IRS says he owes $33 million, and Francis is claiming the government is using an antiquated law against him and that it’s retribution, because everything is a conspiracy to this man:

The IRS wants some serious “Girls Gone Wild” money, because they’ve filed a lien against Joe Francis for a whopping $33,819,087.14 … this according to documents obtained by TMZ.

The Federal Tax Lien doc was filed today. The IRS claims Joe owes the money for 3 years of back taxes — 2001, 2002 and 2003. In 2001, the IRS says Joe didn’t pay $17,658,358. In 2002, the delinquency is $11,238,582.14, and in 2003, he owes $4,922,147.

It was less than 2 weeks ago that Joe got out of a sticky federal tax evasion case by copping a plea and avoiding prison.

Joe told TMZ, “I have no idea what it is.” He says he does not owe the money and, “This is total retaliation for me beating them in court.” Joe says the law the IRS is using hasn’t been used against anyone in 20 years.

Joe says yesterday, the feds seized more than $100,000,000 in cash accounts of his.

Joe says the IRS is forcing him to file for personal bankruptcy, which he will do tomorrow.

[From TMZ]

Oh well, Joe Francis has to file for bankruptcy and will have to cut back on his lavish lifestyle to pay Uncle Sam. I can’t say I’m sorry for the woman-beating rapist. If you look at all the charges that have been brought against him, some of them definitely shouldn’t have stuck. I don’t think he should have been held without bail in Florida on measly contempt of court charges. This is a guy who farts, swears, and checks his e-mail in court and makes a living off videotaping drunk barely-legal girls. It’s not like he’s going to get much sympathy even if he’s right and the government is somehow targeting him. I can’t think of a pseudo celebrity more worthy of having all their assets seized by the IRS, although Roman Polanski also comes to mind.

Thanks to Oxa for the tip! Please send tips to info-at-celebitchy.com

Joe Francis is shown out on 11/6/09. Credit: Hellmuth Dominguez, PacificCoastNews.com