IRS says Cage owes $6.35M in back taxes

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. actor Nicholas Cage owes $6.35 million in unpaid back taxes, court papers filed by the Internal Revenue Service reveal.

People magazine reported online Friday the federal taxes date back to 2002 and have resulted in IRS officials placing a lien on the "Ghost Rider" star's real estate holdings.

The lien filed in July prompted Cage, 45, to begin liquidating his properties in the United States and abroad. To date, the movie star has sold a castle in Germany and is trying to sell homes in New Orleans, Las Vegas and elsewhere.

In addition to $6 million in federal taxes dating back to 2007, IRS officials said Cage owes $350,000 in unpaid taxes dating from 2002 to 2004, People.com reported.

People said Cage is also at the center of a breach of contract complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. East West Bank alleges the "Leaving Las Vegas" actor hasn't paid back a $2 million loan.