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Pay your taxes or end up like Blade!
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| 72hrpartyanimal |
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/24...cing/index.html
OCALA, Florida (CNN) -- Actor Wesley Snipes was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison for three misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns -- the maximum requested by federal prosecutors.
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Wesley Snipes leaves federal court after being sentenced to threes years in prison Thursday.
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"Snipes' long prison sentence should send a loud and crystal clear message to all tax defiers that if they engage in similar tax defier conduct, they face joining him," said Assistant Attorney General Nathan J. Hochman of the Justice Department's Tax Division.
Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman said the law is clear on taxes.
"There is no secret formula that eliminates a person's tax obligations, nor are there any special exceptions," he said.
"The majority of Americans pay their taxes timely and accurately. Those who willfully violate the law must be held accountable."
In a civil suit, the IRS is seeking repayment of all taxes and interest from Snipes.
Federal prosecutors said the actor for nearly a decade escaped paying more than $15 million in income tax returns by sending money to overseas accounts, though they acknowledged in court that the amount is in dispute.
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Before the sentencing, the actor asked the court to show mercy and offered three checks totaling $5 million as a gesture of good will.
Federal prosecutors diverted the checks to the U.S. Treasury -- which accepted the payment -- but it wasn't enough.
"It's essentially a down payment, but a fraction of what he owes," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Scotland Morris.
Snipes' attorneys -- who had argued he should get probation or house arrest -- said they will appeal the sentence.
The actor, who showed little reaction, gave a loud "wow" to the crowd as he exited the courtroom. Video Watch Snipes leave the court »
A jury convicted Snipes on the misdemeanor charges February 1, but he was acquitted of more serious felony charges of tax fraud and conspiracy. Jurors accepted his argument that he was innocently duped by errant tax advisers.
Defense attorneys in court documents suggested that to sentence Snipes harshly would be to disregard the jury's verdict.
But prosecutors, in their sentencing recommendation, said the jurors' decision "has been portrayed in the mainstream media as a 'victory' for Snipes. The troubling implication of such coverage for the millions of average citizens who are aware of this case is that the rich and famous Wesley Snipes has 'gotten away with it.' In the end the criminal conduct of Snipes must not be seen in such a light."
Snipes, who has starred in dozens of movies, including the "Blade" trilogy, "Major League" and "Murder at 1600" had received the support of many of Hollywood friends. Defense attorneys filed 39 pages of testimonials, letters from a Hollywood "Who's Who" list and also high school friends and his employees.
Actors Denzel Washington and Woody Harrelson, as well as television judges Joe Brown and Greg Mathis, submitted letters to the judge on Snipes' behalf.
In his letter, Washington said Snipes was "like a tree -- a mighty oak ... Many who know him have witnessed the fruit of his labors, have sat in his shade and even been protected by his presence. I am proud of him, proud to call him a fellow thespian and most importantly, proud to call him a friend."
Brown, who addressed the court on Thursday, likened Snipes to legendary actors, including Sidney Poitier, and said, "I have been something of a mentor to the young man."
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Another witness described how Snipes had helped train personnel from 33 airlines on safety techniques after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, without seeking pay or media attention.
"This man is one of the most honorable men of character," said Robert Wall, CEO and president of World Black Belt, a martial arts training firm. "He's made mistakes, but I'm so impressed with the depth of his character. |
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| tjpatel |
Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years imprisonment last night for his “brazen defiance” of the US taxman.
The 45-year-old Hollywood actor, who has starred in films including Blade, White Men Can’t Jump and Demolition Man, was given the maximum sentence possible after prosecutors described him to a court in Ocala, Florida, as a “truly notorious offender.” He did not have to go to prison immediately but must surrender to custody at a later date.
Snipes sat expressionless as the sentence was handed down. Asked if he had any reaction, he spread his arms and shrugged. One of his lawyers, Carmen Hernandez, complained: “Mr Snipes was sentenced because he’s Mr Snipes.”
The decision by US District Court judge William Terrell Hodges came two months after a jury convicted Snipes on three counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns from 1999 to 2001.
The court heard yesterday that Snipes dodged $15 million (£7.5 million) in tax through a campaign in which he concealed millions offshore, falsely applied for tax refunds and bombarded the Internal Revenue Service with frivolous correspondence that threatened government employees, railed about extortion and used twisted legal interpretations to back his claim that taxation was unlawful.
“For nearly a decade, Snipes has engaged in a campaign of criminal tax conduct combining brazen defiance with insidious concealment,” the prosecuting attorney, Robert O’Neill, told the court in a sentencing memorandum. “In the defendant Wesley Snipes, the court is presented with a wealthy, famous and inveterate tax scofflaw. If ever a tax offender was deserving of being held accountable to the maximum extent for his criminal wrongdoing, Snipes is that defendant.”
Wearing a black suit and black tie, Snipes — a twice divorced father of five aged from 1 to 19 — clasped his hands together in a gesture of prayer as he arrived at the courthouse.
“He is contrite, promises that he will never again break the law, and respectfully asks the court to consider not just the jury verdict but also all the good that he has done in his life,” his attorneys told the judge in a written document.
At the hearing Snipes’s lawyers tried to give the court three envelopes with cheques amounting to $5 million, but the judge and prosecutor said that they could not accept them. An official of the Internal Revenue Service collected the money during a recess.
Snipes’s big-screen career took off in 1987 after he caught the eye of the film director Spike Lee for his role as a gang leader in the Michael Jackson music video Bad. He went on to star in more than 40 films, taking roles that range from a crusading vampire to a jazz saxophonist.
But his belated contrition and celebrity failed to impress Judge Hodges, despite written pleas for leniency from 31 character witnesses including fellow acting stars Woody Harrelson and the Academy Award-winning Denzel Washington.
“Wesley is like a tree — a mighty oak . . . Many who know him have witnessed the fruit of his labours, have sat in his shade and even been protected by his presence,” wrote Washington. Harrelson called Snipes “a true citizen of the world” and said: “He strives for rightness in all his relations.”
Snipes’s tax advisers, Eddie Ray Kahn — who has previous convictions for tax crimes — and Douglas Rosile were also jailed, for ten years and 54 months respectively.
Snipes was cleared of more serious tax fraud charges in February. But Mr O’Neill warned supporters against describing that acquittal as a victory. “By virtue of his fame and his high-profile campaign of tax defiance, Snipes has become the public face of a movement whose members seize upon the slimmest of threads to justify their obstructive tactics,” he stated. |
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| DaveT |
He has the money to appeal so I bet he will...and if it gets to a high enough court, he may win his case over the whole "there's no law that says you have to pay taxes" ... cause as everyone knows, there in fact isn't.
Cases have even gotten to the supreme court before. And the supreme court ruled in the defendant's favor in both cases where this argument is used.
It's a bit common to see those charged lose in the lower courts.
So again, no doubt about there being no laws saying you have to pay fed taxes. There's even been a supreme court case where they ruled that you cannot be taxed for labor...but lower level courts and the goverment hasn't stopped.
With that, I just wish we had a simpler tax system and just tax the hell outta purchases. Could spend so much more wisely then lol.
Dave |
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| stefanoc |
| quote: | Originally posted by DaveT
He has the money to appeal so I bet he will...and if it gets to a high enough court, he may win his case over the whole "there's no law that says you have to pay taxes" ... cause as everyone knows, there in fact isn't.
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its funny that we still pay for it and obligated to even when there's no law. |
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| Thriller |
| quote: | Originally posted by stefanoc
its funny that we still pay for it and obligated to even when there's no law. |
I don't think most people don't have the money and/or stomach to go through the appeal process. I'm pretty sure it's long with endless curveballs.:( |
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| stefanoc |
| quote: | Originally posted by Thriller
I don't think most people don't have the money and/or stomach to go through the appeal process. I'm pretty sure it's long with endless curveballs.:( |
US vs. Wesley Snipes
why havent you be paying your taxes?
because there's no such law.
Ok we know that, but why aren't you paying taxes?
supposedly you're not held liable if you 'did not' know that you have to pay federal taxes and can prove the jury you didn't actually know. |
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| Thriller |
| quote: | Originally posted by stefanoc
supposedly you're not held liable if you 'did not' know that you have to pay federal taxes and can prove the jury you didn't actually know. |
HAHA have fun with that! |
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| L360E |
the irs "lost my 06 return" even though i sent it twice and faxed it to the guy i was on the phone with...
how does that happend? |
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| Techno_Twins |
| Tell me about it...I've been paying off my tax debt since 2003!!!!!!!!!!!!!:whip: :whip: :eyes: :eyes: :conf: :( |
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| Thriller |
| quote: | Originally posted by L360E
the irs "lost my 06 return" even though i sent it twice and faxed it to the guy i was on the phone with...
how does that happend? |
:haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: |
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| L360E |
| yeah i'll attempt try number 4 tomarrow. |
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| 72hrpartyanimal |
I have mixed feelings about this case.
1. I feel bad that Snipes has been a public scape goat or whatever the to call it in order to show people that no one can hide from the law.
2. I do believe that celeb's should get equal punishment in whatever law they broke... just as i what would have happened to me in the same scenario.
yes, mixed feelings that contradict each other.
I'm pretty screwed in the head |
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