Fact Check: Is Sean Penn selling his NYC property to dodge Mamdani's wealth tax?

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Amid the debates surrounding New York City’s second home tax, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that Hollywood actor Sean Penn is selling his penthouse in the city to avoid paying Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wealth tax. The claim has triggered a debate about its authenticity, prompting a fact-check.

Claim: Sean Penn is selling his property to dodge Zohran Mamdani's wealth tax

A viral X post claims actor Sean Penn is selling his $45 million New York City penthouse because Mamdani's proposed wealth tax would apply to the property as Penn's second home, since his main residence is in Connecticut. 

It states that even though Penn is worth $185 million and has long supported policies to help the poor, he is now objecting because the tax would impact him personally. 

The post also claims Penn said he voted to help the poor, "not destroy the people who actually pay all the taxes," suggesting he is selling the property to avoid the tax. 

It uses these claims to portray Penn as a hypocrite and to criticize wealthy liberals, arguing they support taxing the rich only until it affects them, while also labeling Mamdani as a ‘radical communist.’

Fact Check: No credible evidence to support the claim

The claim, however, is false, as there is no evidence that the Oscar-winning actor is selling his property in New York City to avoid paying Mamdani’s wealth tax.

There are no official reports, statements, announcements, or social media posts by the actor about such a move.

A Google search for the claim yielded no relevant news reports, which, if true, would not go unreported.

Additionally, the account that posted the claim is not credible, and though not explicitly a parody account, it has posted several such fake and unverified claims for the sake of engagement.

A fact check by Grok confirmed, “Sean Penn has not publicly confirmed selling a $45M NYC Union Square penthouse; credible reports show no evidence of ownership or sale linked to the tax.”

Zohran Mamdani proposes tax on second homes

In April this year, Mamdani stated, “When I ran for mayor, I said I was gonna tax the rich. Well, today, we’re taxing it.”

“I’m thrilled to announce we’ve secured a pied-à-terre tax,” he said in the clip, targeting the “richest of the rich,” people who “store their wealth in New York City real estate but who don't actually live here.” 

“As mayor, I believe everyone has a role to play in contributing to our city, and some a little bit more than others," he added. “Happy Tax Day, New York.”