Sen. Jim Justice and his wife, Cathy, agreed to pay more than $5 million to settle more than 15 years of unpaid income taxes after the IRS filed a lawsuit Monday.

The West Virginia Republican had unpaid income taxes dating back to 2009, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in West Virginia.

Including fines and interest, the judges owe the federal government $5,164,739.75.

“Despite the notice and demand for payment of fees,” the lawsuit says, “[Jim] Justice and Cathy L. Justice have neglected or refused to make full payment of those assessments to the United States.”

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice surveys the stage with his dog, Babydog, before last year's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice surveys the stage with his dog, Babydog, before last year’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

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Hours later, the couple agreed to pay the full amount in a consent judgment motion in the case.

In October, the IRS filed a lien against the judges for more than $8 million, documents obtained by Politico show at the time.

Justice was West Virginia’s 36th governor before his election in 2024 to the seat previously held by Sen. Joe Manchin, which he won by campaigning to cut taxes, among other things.

The 74-year-old coal mining heir was at one time West Virginia’s richest resident, but a Forbes report from January suggests his net worth is now “less than zero” due to a combination of debt and depreciated assets.