I remember well watching Survivor in 2000, the summer I lived in a youth hostel on Martha’s Vineyard. Richard Hatch was a big part of that show, and he got sentenced to prison yesterday for tax evasion. Ouch!
“It seems unfortunately very clear to me that Mr. Hatch lied,” Torres said. When Hatch was convicted, Torres said he expected to sentence him to 33 to 41 months.
“I believe I’ve been completely truthful and completely forthcoming throughout the entire process,” Hatch told the judge before he was sentenced.
Hatch claimed he thought the show’s producers would pay his taxes and pleaded ignorance about money matters, saying he forgot to tell his accountants about some income. “Survivor” earned CBS a ratings hit. Hatch became known as “the fat naked guy” — a term coined by David Letterman — for refusing to wear clothes for much of the show.
Hatch sowed seeds of conflict among his competitors, and an estimated 51 million viewers were watching when he received his winning check.
At times, he seemed to handle his criminal case like an extended reality TV competition. He abruptly walked away from a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded his innocence to Katie Couric on the “Today” show.
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