Senator Jim Justice from West Virginia is in hot water again, facing a federal lawsuit that claims he owes more than $5 million in taxes dating back over 15 years.
The legal action was taken on Monday in the Southern District of West Virginia. It states that both Justice and his wife were notified by the Treasury Department regarding their outstanding tax bill from 2009, but it seems they have either ignored it or refused to pay it in full.
The lawsuit is demanding that Justice and his spouse settle the debt, along with any additional relief the court finds suitable.
As of Monday night, Justice hadn’t replied to requests for comments on the situation.
Bloomberg Law first broke the story about the lawsuit.
Additionally, last month the IRS filed liens against him and his wife totaling over $8 million for unpaid taxes from 2009. On another note, a judge ruled last year that six companies owned by the Justice family should be sold to pay off outstanding debts.
The senator’s family is also known for owning the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. This resort narrowly averted foreclosure last year when they managed to settle their own debts.
Talking to local reporters in October, Justice claimed that his businesses are complicated and complex, asserting that his children are managing them well while accusing the collection efforts against him of being politically motivated, according to The Associated Press.
Justice has been serving as a senator for West Virginia since January, stepping into the role after the resignation of former Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat. Before his time in the Senate, he held the office of governor from 2017 to 2025 and has been recognized as the heir to the coal company Bluestone.
In his last election, Justice triumphed over his Democratic rival by over 40 percentage points, mirroring the substantial win of President Donald Trump in the same state during the same electoral round.
This news article first appeared on NBCNews.com
