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Osbournes owe $1.7 million in back taxes

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were once one of the richest couples in the U.K. Now, Uncle Sam's coming to take their house.
/ Source: E!online

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were once one of the richest couples in the U.K. Now, Uncle Sam's coming to take their house.

How'd that happen?

The free-spending couple, who have openly discussed Sharon's love of plastic surgery and shopping, owe more than $1.7 million in back taxes, and the U.S. government has now slapped a lien on one of their homes in Los Angeles, according to papers filed in the L.A. County Recorder's Office.

The feisty Sharon even took to Twitter to comment on the foul-up and (sorta) explain what happened, placing the blame elsewhere.

So, how'd these two get into this financial mess?

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Tax authorities in the U.S. are going after the duo for taxes owed back to 2008. The rocker and his missus are listed as owing $718,948 from the 2008 tax year and $1,024,175 from 2009. One of their many properties, a Hidden Hills mansion in L.A., could now be seized by the IRS. Another target is their $10 million Malibu beach pad.

Just six years ago, the couple was ranked as one of Britain's richest, but were reportedly hit very hard by the recession and haven't completely bounced back.

On Saturday, Sharon Osbourne, 58, who is said to be "mortified" with the financial mess, took to her Twitter page to do a little explaining. "You can't rely on anyone but yourself. But you have to be on top of your own business affairs. My fault...lesson learned."

The extravagant couple, who are also applauded for their generous contributions to charity and philanthropic efforts, are expected to make the whopping back payment within the next week. If it's not paid soon, the amount owed could increase significantly.

WATCH: The Osbournes spend some dough dining out