Court upholds ‘Survivor’ ruling

A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the tax evasion conviction of “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch, who was found guilty in 2006 of failing to pay taxes on the $1 million he won on the debut season of the reality TV show.

Hatch, a wily competitor known for his deal-making with fellow contestants, claimed he caught show employees smuggling food to other contestants. He said producers made a deal to pay his income taxes if he kept his mouth shut about the cheating -- a claim CBS has long denied.

Hatch’s attorney, Michael Minns, argued that a judge improperly prevented the reality TV star from describing that deal. But the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Hatch was given several opportunities to testify about it and never did so.

Hatch, 46, is serving a federal prison sentence of four years and three months at a facility in West Virginia.