Fantasia Barrino – who faces the loss of her $1.3 million home here in a debtor’s auction set for noon Monday – is apparently ignoring the looming legal threat, officials told The Post yesterday.
The inspirational “American Idol” winner owes a Florida credit company $65,000 – money she borrowed in 2006 to pay back taxes she owed the IRS.
The singer made a $10,000 payment in August 2007. But she never paid the rest, so the company won the right in court last month to auction off her house for the balance.
Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputies, who are responsible for enforcing civil court orders, have tried at least a dozen times to reach Barrino at the home and by phone, said Sgt. J.W. England, a supervisor of civil judgments.
A deputy spoke a couple of times to Barrino’s mother, but never reached the star, who appears to be ignoring attempts to save her house, officials said.
“We try very hard and give the defendant every opportunity to pay,” England said yesterday.
Over the course of about a year, Barrino has never responded to court documents, and no lawyer ever appeared in court to represent her, said Larry Goldman, a Charlotte attorney representing the credit company, Broward Energy Management.
“I certainly don’t want anyone to lose their house,” Goldman said. “But as far as I’m concerned, we have a judgment.”
Barrino, 24, has made no payments and filed no documents since The Post reported a court-ordered lien on the property in Charlotte’s upscale Piper Glen neighborhood last month.
Goldman said he never heard from Barrino’s representatives until after the judge’s order. He said he has since spoken twice with reps who haven’t offered to resolve the debt but said they’d get back in touch before next Monday.
“My client has continuously asked me why they won’t just pay it,” Goldman said. “I just don’t have an answer.”
Barrino’s attorney, Gary Greenberg declined to comment yesterday.
“It’s my practice not to talk about client matters,” he said.
Barrino’s agent, Erin Culley, referred questions to the singer’s publicist but was unable to provide contact information for that person.
Barrino, who starred as herself in a Lifetime movie chronicling her rags-to-riches story, won the third season of “American Idol” in 2004. Her fame continued when she landed a role on Broadway in the “The Color Purple.” But she drew negative publicity after pulling out of the show with no explanation. She later told a magazine that she had been suffering from a cyst in her throat.
No one answered the door at the singer’s two-story home yesterday where four vehicles were parked outside.
After the auction comes a 10-day period when anyone can offer a higher upset bid. Depending on how many come in, the actual sale could take months. Once it’s final, the new homeowner is responsible for evicting whoever still lives there, England said.
In 2005, Barrino nearly lost another home she owns in Charlotte as well as her red $240,000 Mercedes Benz.
She apparently ignored a lien on that home, valued at $740,000, brought by the neighborhood association after she failed to pay fees and other costs. The case was eventually dismissed, according to court documents.
Last year, Barrino failed to pay a promissory note on $187,809 she borrowed to buy her Mercedes. The dealership that sold her the car sued, but the matter was resolved.
SOURCE: New York Post
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