Snipes sentenced to three years

Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes has received a three year prison sentence for tax offences.

A federal judge handed down the maximum term requested by prosecutors - one year for each of Snipes' convictions of wilfully failing to file a tax return.

Snipes' lawyers had called for leniency, arguing that the offences were misdemeanours and that the star was of good character.

But prosecutors said an example should be set because of Snipes' fame.

In February, Snipes was found guilty of deliberately failing to file tax returns for 1999, 2000 and 2001, but was cleared of more serious fraud and conspiracy charges.

'Serious crimes'

United States District Judge William Terrell Hodges said the action star had shown a "history of contempt over a period of time" for US tax laws.

"In my mind these are serious crimes, albeit misdemeanours", he said.

Snipes apologised, saying: "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance."

The star of films such as "Blade 3" and "Demolition Man" had asked for probation instead of imprisonment.

Fellow actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington sent letters as character witnesses, as did family, friends and employees.

The actor's first role was in Goldie Hawn's 1986 American football comedy Wildcats, and he has also appeared in hit films such as White Men Can't Jump, and Passenger 57.

Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7366211.stm)

dumbass

Ha-Ha! Where did yer fame and Fortune get you?! nowhere except to be made an example out of ! lollerz

wonder what his roomates will be like rofl

This is where being a high profile celebrity is a big negative. Spitting in the eye of the US Federal Tax system is equal to suicide bombing a room of babies, being who he is and doing what he is doing (not paying taxes) and if he got away with it, there would be a million like him tomorrow and that is not going to happen, hence the max sentence.

It was incredible that his tax scheme only earned him 3 misdemeanors ... yet he gets the max sentence of 3 years in FEDERAL prison. Which means you do all your time, not like state prison where you can get out early for being a good boy. At least he will be among a population of white collar criminals... ie... not gangbang'n killer homies looking to carve up some movie star.

The US tax system is a crime, but it is what it is. Love it or leave it. Snipes decided to not only say fuck it, but he was fairly arrogant about it.

Expect Blade 4 upon his release lol ....

Wesley my man I didn't get my character reference letter submitted to the court on time like Denzel and Woody did (my substitute PC is too damn slow) but I'm changing my avatar to some of that badass "Blade" material of yours to keep the fight going.

"FREE WESLEY SNIPES!"
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4918/wesleysnipesmugshotxg5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

T-shirts with that bold-print statement are being pressed up and ready to hit the streets this morning no doubt about it. Put me down for two.

Yeah, he made a bonehead move with those back taxes and trusted the wrong set of crooks. He has always had a penchant for ego tripping and that has been made apparent in the magazine interviews with the man that I've read over the years. He failed to realize that nobody - not even "The Day Walker" - walks away from the crosshairs of the IRS unscathed.

But hey - the guy is a screen talent and that's undeniable. I can't speak for his martial arts skills (I can't even figure out the karate chop) but he always brings charisma to the Cineplex no doubt. Remember him as "Willie Mays Hayes" in that film "Major League"? Funny stuff. The dude has range.

I always side with the actor and not with the Federal Government in cases such as this. As Drumbo would say "Fugghedaboudit"! Nobody at the IRS can throw down like Wesley "Blade" Snipes.


Best of Blade - the martial arts montage

Well, I guess that makes up for OJ.

:rolleyes:

Don't mess with the IRS. Wesley found out that it does not help to be a star. Tell me, didn't he have enough money to hire an accountant? Surely he could have gotten Turbo Tax or one of the other popular tax programs. As long as you file, the IRS will work with you. I have had the IRS letter in the mail box in July. My heart sunk. I opened it and read, "Dear JTM, your tax filing was on time there was just one problem. We could not find your Schedule A. Please file your Schedule A withing the next ten days." I put it in the mail the next day after I recovered from heart failure.

Shyster Lawyers get rich fat assed crooks off while a Brother is once again stitched by the Honkies. Why didn't they just pump 22 rounds into him? The fuckers would still have walked...:newburn::fly::mod:

I agree with mawk, he is a dumbass

I agree with mawk, he is a dumbass

Mawk is The Man, ffs. Did you expect him to say any different?
Spoev'n Your Gorch, ffs...:fly::mod:

The 15 greatest tax cheats of all-time (http://thephoenix.com/SlopCulture/2006/04/13/The15GreatestTaxCheatsOfAlltime.aspx)
(As of Thursday, April 13, 2006)


[1] Al Capone – The granddaddy of 'em all. Legend has it that the notorious gangster once remarked that tax laws were a joke because "the government can't collect legal taxes on illegal money." But the government could, and it was that law that enabled the FBI to pursue and arrest Capone when sufficient evidence could not be found to indict him for his years of illegal gambling, prostitution, murder, and bootlegging. (And Geraldo still found jack shit in his vault).

[2] Willie Nelson – In 1990, Nelson was hit with a bill for $16.7 million in back taxes from the IRS. To help him pay it, the IRS confiscated and auctioned off his assets. Fortunately for Nelson, many of them were bought by fans and given back to him. He also made an album to support himself called The IRS Tapes. These days, he's featured in H&R Block Super Bowl ads (as well as a spokesperson for marijuana).

[3] Richard Pryor – Pryor served 10 days in a Los Angeles county jail in 1974 for tax evasion. According to him, he told the judge he forgot. He also said what the judge's reply was, but we won't repeat that here.

[4] Sophia Loren – Just so you don't think this is a strictly American phenomenon, Loren spent 18 days in an Italian jail for tax evasion. Yes, even really beautiful people have to pay their taxes.

[5] Barry Bonds – Bonds has not been convicted, charged, or even arrested for anything yet. But if what the authors of Game of Shadows uncovered is true, Bonds could be in hot water for giving unreported money to his then-mistress Kimberly Bell. Some speculate that his tax problems - not his alleged steroid use - will be what eventually brings about his downfall.

[6] Richard Hatch – When you're the first winner of a high-profile million-dollar reality show, it's usually a good idea to report that money to the IRS. Hatch never did. As of this writing, he has yet to be sentenced.

[7] Darryl Strawberry – In 1995, another chapter was added to the sad tale of Darryl Strawberry's fall from grace when a court ordered him to pay $350,000 in back taxes and sentenced him to six months of home confinement. Things mostly got worse from there.

[8] Martha Stewart – Stewart argued that she shouldn't have to pay New York state taxes in 2002. After all, she said, she barely spent any time in New York. Unfortunately, a judge busted her with her own material: a passage from one of her books that said she had a house in East Hampton. Stewart paid up.

[9] Luciano Pavoratti – Pavoratti was twice accused of tax evasion: once in 1999 and again in 2001. The second time he was acquitted, but in '99, he did have to pay $11 million to the Italian government.

[10] Mystikal – Mystikal failed to pay about $270,000 in taxes and was sentenced to a year in prison. But there was a silver lining in his story: he was allowed to serve it concurrently with the six-year sentence for sexual battery he was already serving.

[11] Boris Becker – The tennis great avoided jail in '02 and received probation. He also paid 3 million Euros for back taxes owed to the German government. We have no idea what that would be in 2006 dollars, or in Deutsche marks.

[12] Spiro Agnew – Richard Nixon's VP resigned in 1973 after pleading no contest to charges of tax evasion and money laundering. He was replaced by Gerald Ford. Things mostly got worse from there.

[13] Don King – Only in America: King, who was convicted of manslaughter and pled the fifth amendment in front of the Senate when asked about his connection to John Gotti, was indicted on charges of tax evasion in 1991. A mistrial was declared, and King went on to fight another day.

[14] Ronald Isley – The R&B legend was convicted of tax evasion this year, but his sentencing was postponed indefinitely. He's currently recovering from a stroke.

[15] Steffi Graf – In 1995, Graf was accused by German authorities of tax evasion on her tennis winnings in the early part of her career. At the time, though, Steffi's father, Peter Graf, was in charge of her finances. The charges against Steffi were eventually dropped after she paid 1.3 million deutsche marks, and her father spent close to four years in prison.

lol great list Faux... :)

For Wesley, I would have done his taxes for a small fee. For Sophia, if she would have done something for me, I would do them for free. She is still hot, old or not.