OCALA, Fla., April 24, 2008
Wesley Snipes Gets 3 Years In Prison
Film Star Will Do Time Over $2.7 Million In Unpaid Taxes
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Wesley Snipes gestures as he leaves federal court after he was sentenced to threes years in prison for willful failure to file a tax return on April 24, 2008 at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Ocala, Fla.. Snipes was acquitted in February of five counts including felony fraud and conspiracy charges. (AP PHOTO)
Snipes' lawyers had spent much of the day in court offering dozens of letters from family members, friends - even fellow actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington - attesting to the good character of the "Blade" star and asking for leniency. They argued he should get only probation because his three convictions were all misdemeanors and the actor had no previous criminal record.
But U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges said Snipes exhibited a "history of contempt over a period of time" for U.S. tax laws, and granted prosecutors the three year sentence they requested - one year for each of Snipes' convictions of willfully failing to file a tax return.
"In my mind these are serious crimes, albeit misdemeanors," Hodges said.
Snipes apologized while reading from a written statement for his "costly mistakes," but never mentioned the word taxes.
"I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance," Snipes said.
Snipes said his wealth and celebrity attracted "wolves and jackals like flies are attracted to meat." He called himself "well-intentioned, but miseducated."
Snipes was the highest-profile criminal tax target in years, and prosecutors called for a heavy sentence to deter others from trying to obstruct the IRS. The government alleged Snipes made at least $13.8 million for the years in question and owed $2.7 million in back taxes.
Snipes was acquitted in February of five additional charges, including felony tax fraud and conspiracy. Snipes' co-defendants, Douglas P. Rosile and Eddie Ray Kahn, were convicted on both those counts. Kahn, who refused to defend himself in court, was sentenced to 10 years, while Rosile received 54 months. Both will serve three years of supervised release. Snipes will serve one year of supervised release.
Snipes and Rosile remain free and will be notified when they are to surrender to authorities.
Kahn was the founder of American Rights Litigators, and a successor group, Guiding Light of God Ministries, that purported to help members legally avoid paying taxes. Rosile, a former accountant who lost his licenses in Ohio and Florida, prepared Snipes' paperwork.
Snipes maintained in a years-long battle with the IRS he did not have to pay taxes, using fringe arguments common to "tax protesters" who say the government has no legal right to collect. After joining Kahn's group, the government said Snipes instructed his employees to stop paying their own taxes and sought $11 million in 1996 and 1997 taxes he legally paid.
Prosecutors sought to justify the maximum sentence by raising those and other details from the IRS investigation, as well as a tax loss even for years in which Snipes was acquitted of failing to file a return. Such "relevant conduct" is allowed by law for a judge's consideration at sentencing.
Criminal tax prosecutions are relatively rare - usually the cases are handled in civil court, where the government has a lower burden of proof. Prosecutors said Snipes' case was important to send a message to would-be tax protesters not to test the government.
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Add a Comment See all 95 Comments
- Snipes didn''t go to jail for not paying taxes, he went for not filing a return when someone else filed an information return on him.
Very few American citizens are subject to an income tax unless engaged in a privileged activity, a right cannot be taxed. - Reply to this comment
- The 16th Amendment was never properly radified as the Constitution demands....but the ''liberals'' of the age...the so-called "Progressives" just didn''t care... and, as it was only used to take a pittance from the very wealthy...no one felt the pain. The lie stood...as it stands today.
It was needed to fund World War I...just as the other mechanism that the ''Progressives'' cursed us with, the Federal Reserve, gave the money creating powers of the government to private bankers...the bank would create the credit for the war loans, the people would pay the taxes for the interest--as well as the blood for the war and any ''sacrifices'' that need be made.
The Constitution forbids direct taxation...in any case...the XVI Amendment allows only tax on income...not wages...and this was confirmed by Supreme Court decisions. The wage comes in exchange for labour not as income from a property, a note or some other obligation. - Reply to this comment
- Snipes said his wealth and celebrity attracted "wolves and jackals like flies are attracted to meat." He called himself "well-intentioned, but miseducated."
By the time he gets out of jail he will know the tax laws very well, if he spends some time in the prison library!!!
two guns son of one gun - Reply to this comment
- Maybe Hilly can pardon if and when she becomes Prez, like Bill did for Mark Rich.
But wait!!--has Wesley made any contributions to the Clinton library?
Posted by gkc99 at 11:35 PM : Apr 24, 2008
Deliverance 1972 Movie
One local was played by Randall Leece Deal, a real convicted moonshiner. In 2006, he obtained a pardon for a conspiracy conviction from President George W. Bush.
Dry Drunks Inc. - Reply to this comment
- Sounds just like most corporations! - Posted by IDNNSG
They may play every shady game there is to avoid their fair share, but never heard of a corporation who didn''t file and who claimed the 16th amendment was illegal.
Posted by trapbreak at 01:47 PM : Apr 25, 2008
Why go to all that bother - they just setup a dummy office in the Caymans and a PO Box... - Reply to this comment
- To quote Eva Peron: "Don''t cry for me, Argentina!"
If Wesley brought a $5 MILLION check to court and that was only a small portion of what he owes, can you just imagine how much money he must''ve be living on from year to year? That''s so far out of the realm of what the average person makes! You wouldn''t be able to shine Wes''s shoes if you were making $250K per year! - Reply to this comment
- Maybe Wesley can whip out the blades and use his super vampire powers to engineer some fabulous super hero escape from prison. Oh, right, that was just a movie.
Don''t drop the soap, Wes! - Reply to this comment
- As the old saying, the power to tax is the power to destroy. It seems Uncle Sam got him by the neck.
- Reply to this comment
- He can put on amateur theatricals for the homeys in Cellblock G.
- Reply to this comment
- Don''t mess with the IRS. Which part of that don''t you understand? Talk to Willie Nelson. Feds can''t make an example out of Joe Blow from Butt Lick, Mississippi. Celebs are something else. It''s all over the media. People talk about it at the water cooler.
What''s with the fists? Black power? Stupid doofus. He could have hired a good, honest accountant who has been in business for a long time. It would have been straight forward. No fuss, no muss. Lots of accountants in Hollywood/California have experience dealing with actors I''m sure. It''s not rocket science.
He''ll be hurting for money when he gets out. - Reply to this comment
So he didn''t pay his taxes and now
the taxpayers have to pay for his
food, shelter, utilities, security,
maintenance, cable television,
now tell me again who is being punished?- Reply to this comment
- I think our Judicial System is a farce! I also think Judge William Terrell Hodges was trying to make a name for himself. I can hear him now,,Listen everybody, I put Wesley Snipes in jail!
This country lets murderers,rapists,drug pushers,drunks,child molesters and many,many more criminals get out of going to prison. What is wrong with Mr.Snipes going on probation,continue working,and the IRS come up with a number that Mr. Snipes can pay off?
Oh,I get it.... the Judge was making an example out of him. Yea right,,, just like they did with Lindsey Lohan,Paris Hilton,O.J.Simpson,and countless others.
I''m happy I don''t live in Ocala,Fla. I wont have to pay for Wesley Snipes while he''s in prison,or where-ever they put him. - Reply to this comment
- A poor example when they tried for a felony and got only a consolation prize, Wesley was correct that he did not owe taxes, his mistake was not filing and rebutting any w2''s and 1099''s he received. He should have read "Cracking the Code" and he would be free today and richer.
- Reply to this comment
- stupid is as stupid does.
- Reply to this comment
- The poor thing...Shoulda paid yo taxes dumazzzzz...
- Reply to this comment
- Sounds like Blade thought the US government was just a bunch of vampires he could vaporize.
When you make ten to twenty million a pop for a movie, you don''t tell the IRS to go screw themselves.
What an idiot. - Reply to this comment
- I forgot about those Enron creeps,I read deeper into this .He should get home detention come to think of it!
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- I really do think he got a fair deal,I like Wesley,and many of his acting roles.I just know if it was me old Joe Blow,I would have gotten the Felony 10 yrs.So for 2.whatever million in unpaid taxes 3 ain''t squat.He probably won''t do but a year( I hope)its time for a new Blade movie.He is an outstanding Martial Artist,he will time to work out and collect his thoughts.
- Reply to this comment
- While I am relieved because it would have jeopardized my child support and my children might have lost their home, I have to wonder about how or why people are treated so differently.
Posted by IrishWench at 11:32 AM : Apr 25, 2008
Because your ex is ahhhh, what''s that word again......oh yeah, COOPERATING!
Hey Wes, get ready to find out about Jungel Fever! LOL - Reply to this comment
- Lets see... Wesley made a mistake, and now he''s going to pay the price. I''ll be sad not to see him in any movies for the next three years but I''m sure he''ll get out early and he will have learned his lesson. Nothing much to see here, really.
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