Current Events > AOC's 'Tax the rich' dress designer owes tax debt in multiple states

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https://nypost.com/2021/09/18/aocs-tax-the-rich-dress-designer-aurora-james-is-a-tax-deadbeat/

Most of luxe-living James arrears center on Cultural Brokerage Agency, an LLC she formed in 2011 to serve as the parent company of her fashion brand, which today is known as Brother Vellies. Its a favorite of people like Beyonc, Rihanna, and Meghan Markle.

The company racked up three open tax warrants in New York state for failing to withhold income taxes from employees paychecks totaling $14,798, the state Department of Taxation and Finance told The Post. The debts which were incurred before the pandemic stem from 2018 and 2019. The company has been hit with 15 warrants in total since 2015.

The company got into a deeper hole with the feds. Between April 2018 and April 2019, the Internal Revenue Service placed six federal liens on Cultural Brokerage Agency totaling $103,220. The liens specifically cite the companys failure to remit employee payroll taxes.

In October 2019 the state Workers Compensation Board slapped the company with a $17,000 fine for not carrying workers-comp insurance between March 2017 and February 2018. The company currently owes $62,722 and no payments have been received to date, a rep for the board told The Post. Workers comp is paid out when an employee is hurt at work and misses time.

Ex-staffers blasted the operation as a sweatshop that relied on legions of unpaid interns working full-time jobs.

"I experienced a lot of harassment when I worked for her," one former contract employee told The Post. "Aurora would ask me to do things that were not in anyones job description, like scheduling her gynecological appointments. The work environment was so hostile that I was afraid to ask for my check." The employee was ultimately terminated.

An ex-intern called James "quite cold," adding that "she never gives recognition or acknowledgement to her team."

James is also an alleged rent deadbeat, records show.

In August 2020, James landlord filed papers to evict Brother Vellies from their location at 71 Franklin St. in Brooklyn, as well as demanding more than $25,000 plus interest for staying beyond the end of her lease. The case was settled.

She was sued by a previous landlord in February 2018 for more than $5,000 in unpaid rent at her shops old address at 209 West 38th Street in Manhattan.

"Aurora, obviously we did not want it to come to this, but you never have paid your rent in a timely manner," wrote Matthew Mandell, a rep for her Manhattan landlord in a frustrated March 2018 email. "We have been more than patient."

Though AOC proudly labeled James a "working class" designer as they waltzed down the Met Gala red carpet, her lifestyle has been anything but. As the pandemic raged across America, igniting a deep recession, James scooped up a $1.6 million residence in Los Angeles in September 2020.

Well well well
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So AOC want's to tax the designer their fair share as well. What's the problem?

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https://www.tmz.com/2021/09/15/aoc-tax-the-rich-dress-met-gala-accuse-rip-off-designer/

The designed also ripped off the design

I wonder if this will cost AOC her career.

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I'm sure AOC will respond to this accusation with a sassy twitter post before going back to not doing her job.

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dolomedes posted...

this has been the biggest misstep in AOC's career so far

(which is cool cause this is a nonissue)

Biggest pressing issue of the millenium for Fox News and Newsmax though.

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This whole situation is pretty embarrassing for AOC, hopefully she learns from it.

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Wow, AOC's dress has already drawn attention and outrage to a rich person not paying his taxes. She just keeps winning.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

no not nearly as bad. Minaj's comment was so dumb and misinformation.

I get why its caused controversy, but AOC didn't do anything contradictory by going to the MET. She didn't buy that dress or a ticket. She wore an dress with a message to make a statement, and she is willing to pay her taxes of course. 175k isn't exactly rich compared to celebs and multi millionaires.

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So?

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