Yusuf Salaam has a six-figure tax debt, even with his speaking engagements.

City Councilman Yousef Salaam’s Tax Troubles

City Councilman Yousef Salaam, one of the exonerated members of the Central Park Five, has accumulated a significant amount of unpaid federal taxes, reportedly in the hundreds of thousands. This comes as a surprise considering his substantial earnings from speaking engagements, as revealed by recent information.

His 2024 financial disclosure to the city’s conflict of interest committee indicates he owes between $100,000 and $250,000 in taxes.

At 51 years old, Salaam has claimed for the last two years that he is “in the process of repaying all taxes.”

Having won a seat in the council in 2023 and taking office in early 2024, it’s uncertain how far back these tax obligations date.

His office did not provide any comments on the matter, while the IRS cannot share taxpayers’ information.

Despite the income from various lectures—charging around $31,000 for virtual events and close to $40,000 for in-person talks—his tax debt remains a concern. Since announcing his candidacy in 2023, he has conducted at least 36 lectures.

Since entering office last year, records show he has made upwards of $250,000 from these speaking events, in addition to his $148,500 salary as a council member.

Salaam, a father of ten, has also stated that he anticipates earning “over $500,000” annually from trusts, real estate, or other benefits tied to a settlement he received from the city in 2014.

The city is set to pay $40.75 million to the Central Park Five to settle a civil rights lawsuit, with Salaam’s share being $7.125 million.

This isn’t the first instance of controversy for Salaam, who serves as the chair of the Public Safety Commission, overseeing the NYPD. Last year, he was found driving with out-of-state license plates and tinted windows, having lived in Georgia for six years before his election.

Salaam has been vocal about his criticisms of the NYPD since taking office, advocating for reforms and changes to police practices.

He was one of five teens wrongfully convicted in 1989 for the assault and rape of a woman in Central Park, serving nearly seven years before his conviction was overturned in 2002 following a reevaluation of the case.