'Survivor' Winner Gets 51 Months
Richard Hatch Sentenced For Failing To Pay Income Taxes On $1M Prize Money
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Play CBS Video Video 'Survivor' Final Four The final four contestants on "Survivor: Panama" join Julie Chen and Rene Syler to speak about their time on the show. Also, winner Aras Baskauskas gets his $1 million check.
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Video Aras Wins 'Survivor' After 39 days of grueling competition, 14 tribal councils, and many lonely nights, Aras Baskauskas won $1 million in the final episode of "Survivor: Panama."
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Video 'Survivor' Finale Reactions Only On The Web: CBSNews.com's Amy Bonawitz talks to the cast of "Survivor: Panama" minutes after the live season finale.
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Richard Hatch, seen here outside the Providence courthouse during his tax fraud trial this past January, was sentenced to 51 months in prison. (AP)
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Richard Hatch holds prize of $1 million after winning CBS' "Survivor." (CBS/AP)
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Interactive Survivor: Panama, Exile Island Meet the players, watch videos, go to the show's official site, and learn more about Panama.
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Photo Essay Aras Is Sole 'Survivor' Celebrates his victory in "Survivor: Panama - Exile Island."
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In The Spotlight Survivors Of Panama Videos: "Survivor: Panama, Exile Island" contestants' profiles and interviews.
Hatch, 45, was convicted in January. The charges carried a maximum of 13 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said he issued a harsher than expected sentence because Hatch had committed perjury repeatedly during his trial.
"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 late-night host David Letterman — for refusing to wear clothes during 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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