R Kelly is the latest US megastar to be subject to a tax probe. The 45-year-old R&B singer is reported to owe nearly $5m (£3.2m) in back taxes.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that documents held by the Cook County Recorder of Deeds shows that Kelly owes the IRS taxes dating back to 2005. It is the latest financial setback for the singer, who was forced to sell his Chicago mansion last year.

Kelly reportedly paid $2.6m (£1.6m) in back taxes in 2008 and another $1m (£640,000) last year, but that still leaves him $4.8m (£2.9) in debt to the federal government. Despite this, Kelly's spokesman Allan Mayer said last year that the singer does not have any serious financial troubles.

Later this month Kelly releases his 11th album, Write Me Back. Each copy will come with a postcard, allowing fans to write back to Kelly. The singer also has 32 new chapters of his hip-hopera Trapped in the Closet ready to go.

The IRS has been busy with US urban music stars recently. Last week it emerged that Lauryn Hill could face up to three years in jail over tax evasion charges.