Wesley Snipes Thread [Merge x3]

Originally Posted by Dark Donnie

I actually think he deserved prison time maybe not three years but something. Someone broke it down that he owed 2.7 million off of the 13.8 Million he made, thats only what 20%? Most of us pay much more....he was being greedy and got caught.

Truthfully though as rich as he is it would be naive of the government to think he actually handled his own taxes. Celebrities like Michael Jackson, Wesley Snipes, Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Oprah, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, and so forth have so much money that they have agents do their taxes.

So it's possible Wesley may've been a victim of someone else being careless with his taxes and not filing them like he may've trusted them to do.

[Golgo-13]

Originally Posted by LastSunrise1981

Truthfully though as rich as he is it would be naive of the government to think he actually handled his own taxes. Celebrities like Michael Jackson, Wesley Snipes, Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Oprah, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, and so forth have so much money that they have agents do their taxes.

So it's possible Wesley may've been a victim of someone else being careless with his taxes and not filing them like he may've trusted them to do.

Agreed, and i'm quite sure he used that as a defense. Apparently the judge wasn't buying it.

[Addendum]

Originally Posted by RockSP

...over some bulls#$@

Oh well. I'm not losing sleep because Willie Mays Hayes is off to the big house

[RockSP]

You're the only one. The rest of us are torn up about it.

[Addendum]

Why, was he coming to your home for Thanksgiving?

[Drizzle]

Three years jail time is too harsh a punishment for tax evasion.

A hefty fine? Absolutely.

Community service? Maybe.

But jail time? No.

[RockSP]

Originally Posted by Addendum

Why, was he coming to your home for Thanksgiving?

Exactly. He was supposed to be carving the turkey with Blade's...blade.

[Cosmic]

This is ********! Fight the power, Blade!

[Nathan Petrelli]

Lindsay Lohan does cocaine, gets drunk and goes behind the wheel, she gets a suspended sentence and sent to rehab for a few days

Nicole Richie does prescription pills, gets stoned and drinks, drives on the wrong side of the highway and gets what... 45 minutes in jail?

the American Justice system is disgusting

[Catman]

So...my tax dollars are going to providing a jail cell for Wesley Snipes? Nice.

[StrainedEyes]

Originally Posted by Drizzle

Three years jail time is too harsh a punishment for tax evasion.

A hefty fine? Absolutely.

Community service? Maybe.

But jail time? No.

Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years for tax evasion.

[KALEL114]

More info.

OCALA, Fla. -- Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison on tax charges Thursday, a victory for prosecutors who sought to make an example of the action star by aggressively pursuing the maximum penalty.

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.

[EdRyder]

Originally Posted by Catman

So...my tax dollars are going to providing a jail cell for Wesley Snipes? Nice.

Dont forget your tax dollars were spent prosecuting him for over a year.


Anyway, I didnt know all that( ^up) The media and Snipes kept depicting it like he was a victim of circumstances(although i know ignorance of the law isnt a defense) But that above post paints a completely different picture.He fought the law and the law won.

Side note: Doesnt he own and operate some kind of Ninja compound in Indiana where they train bodyguards for celebs?

[Cmill216]

Tax evasion? Tax evasion?! That's it???

You mean to tell me I'm going to miss out on a potential Blade 4 before 2011 just because Wes didn't feel like giving The Man a few more dollas???

To hell with this! There will be blood!

[Catman]

Originally Posted by Geo7877

Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years for tax evasion.

On paper he was sentenced for tax evasion, but in reality he was sentenced cause he was the biggest mob boss in the USA.

[Addendum]

Originally Posted by Cmill216

You mean to tell me I'm going to miss out on a potential Blade 4 before 2011 just because Wes didn't feel like giving The Man a few more dollas???

It's not like Blade 4 would have been good anyway

[<(o_o)>]

Originally Posted by Cmill216

Tax evasion? Tax evasion?! That's it???

You mean to tell me I'm going to miss out on a potential Blade 4 before 2011 just because Wes didn't feel like giving The Man a few more dollas???

To hell with this! There will be blood!

Who knows, Blade 4 may take place in Prison. Snipes will be a target in any prison he is placed in & will then feel inclined to use martial arts to defend himself & probably get more jail time.

[LexCorp]

People just care about money.....they take that more seriously than other celebs who run around snorting coke.

[chamber-music]

Originally Posted by Geo7877

Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years for tax evasion.

Thats because its the only crime they could get him with. If they could of arrested him for all the other stuff he would of been.

Originally Posted by Nathan Petrelli

Lindsay Lohan does cocaine, gets drunk and goes behind the wheel, she gets a suspended sentence and sent to rehab for a few days

Nicole Richie does prescription pills, gets stoned and drinks, drives on the wrong side of the highway and gets what... 45 minutes in jail?

the American Justice system is disgusting

Yes but they are rich attractive white girls its obvious they would never go to prison

Snipes should of got OJ's lawyer, it ain't like he couldn't afford him.

seriously though 3 years is harsh. A year in prision and a hefty fine would of been more fitting and enough of an example.
People who have done far worst crimes have got less than 3 years.

[Dark Donnie]

Originally Posted by KALEL114

More info.

OCALA, Fla. -- Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison on tax charges Thursday, a victory for prosecutors who sought to make an example of the action star by aggressively pursuing the maximum penalty.

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.

The article explains it all, Snipes sounds like a moron.

[Golgo-13]

Just hear this story on the news.

They say stars like 'Denzel Washington' wrote letters on Snipes behalf to the judge, attesting to his character.

[Lunar_Wolf]

Originally Posted by Yurka

This upsets me, Snipes gets 3 years for tax evasion and celebs like Lindsay Lohan get less than a slap on the wrist for driving under the influence, totalling their vehicles and putting peoples lives in danger. Granted the offenses are VERY different, it still pisses me off.

I totally agree.
Fine him, but 3 years is ridiculous.
Heard of a case yesterday. Man raped and almost killed a woman...got 7 years. 4 more years than Snipes. I guess money is more important than people.

[CorpusBlack]

Either the government will realize that the vampire problem is too big for them to handle and they'll give Snipes a pardon or Whistler will come back and just break him out of jail.

[Dark Donnie]

Originally Posted by Lunar_Wolf

I totally agree.
Fine him, but 3 years is ridiculous.
Heard of a case yesterday. Man raped and almost killed a woman...got 7 years. 4 more years than Snipes. I guess money is more important than people.

I do agree that 3 years is a huge sentence, and he is more likely being made an example of. However from the sound of the article it sounds like he knowingly evaded taxes, unlike what Sunrise said.

[chamber-music]

Originally Posted by CorpusBlack

Either the government will realize that the vampire problem is too big for them to handle and they'll give Snipes a pardon or Whistler will come back and just break him out of jail.

I don't know how many more times Whistler can comeback from the dead

The prision gaurds are gonna have a real problem on their hands when snipes doesn't get his serum...........