'Survivor' group wants Hatch for anniversary show

Richard Hatch asks a judge to let him out of home confinement early.

By: Jim Taricani | NBC 10
Published: July 10, 2009

CRANSTON, R.I. -- "Survivor" winner Richard Hatch says he wants to be let out of his home confinement early to travel to Samoa to star in a 10th anniversary edition of the same reality show in which he won $1 million and failed to pay taxes on the prize, NBC 10’s I-Team reported.

In documents filed Friday in federal court, Hatch, who was convicted of tax evasion and is currently on home confinement, said he has been invited by the Survivor Entertainment Group to appear in the 10th anniversary season of the CBS show.

Related Link: SEG's letter to Hatch (.pdf)
Related Link: Hatch's petition (.pdf)
Related Link: Government documents (.pdf)

"SEG would like to extend an offer in which you may participate in the upcoming cycle of the series," Hatch's letter said.

“If permitted to participate in this opportunity, funds earned by Hatch could be applied first to any U.S. tax obligation (once determined),” Hatch’s lawyers said in court papers.

Hatch recently asked a judge to let him out of his final 90 days of home confinement to travel to Argentina to get married.

The government is opposing Hatch's request. It said Hatch sill has not paid the $400,000 in taxes he owes from the $1 million he won on the first season of "Survivor."

"Judge (Ernest) Torres found that Hatch was in need of supervision, including mental health counseling and that Hatch perjured himself extensively during the trial," the government said in court papers.

If Hatch continues to refuse to pay the back taxes, the government said it will "seek revocation of the defendant’s supervised release."

The government says if Hatch is in Argentina getting married or in Samoa, it would be impossible to put him back in prison.

Hatch contends that it's CBS that owes most of the taxes and that foreign and domestic tax issues are preventing him from paying. The government disputes Hatch's claims.

Editor's Note: None of the documents filed in federal court identify if the 10th anniversary season will be held in American Samoa or the Independent State of Samoa.