"Blade" star Wesley Snipes sentenced to three years for tax charges

[bull]

http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/ap/20080424/120908544000.html

Judge sentences Snipes to 3 years for tax convictions
Thursday April 24 6:04 PM ET

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.

[Old Moparz]

At least he didn't lie about using steroids.

[bull]

At least he didn't lie about using steroids.

Always a silver lining...

BTW, thanks for displaying Angelina's kissy face instead of the two gay fighters.

[Charger_Fan]

I wonder how he likes Kahn & Rosile now, for helping him get in this mess?

[Lowprofile]

Just another example of "The Man" keepin' a Brother Down.    Word.   

[TruckDriver]

Well, when he was in "Major League", he liked stealin'

[Brock Samson]

"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."                         

Can you imagine paying 11 mill in taxes?.. 
Amazing the amount of money some folks make...

[Mike DC]

 
'Wesley Snipes cites racism as being a factor for his tax evasion case.  Another factor: his tax evasion.''

                                                                         --  David Spade, on "The Showbiz Show"

[hutch]

Personal Income tax is a crime on the people.  No need for it. its a small % of the total federal revenue. they could cut spending by 10% and kill the personal income tax with the stroke of a pen and we would never miss it or ever need it to keep things running.


They do it to make people pay their "fair share".  Its punishment for prosperity, has nothing to do with keeping the federal goverment running or keeping our roads paved or paying for education for our kids.  None of that money comes from personal income tax.   

its a crime.

[drifter69]

We all got our problems!

[hutch]

"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."                         

Can you imagine paying 11 mill in taxes?.. 
Amazing the amount of money some folks make...

What is Amazing to me is how the federal government can take 11 million earned dollars and piss it away on nothing.  Federal employees in the state department all get credit cards and spend our money on strippers, clothes, parties and we all just keep giving them more money.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/09/gao.spending/

This is just one case.  They just burn money and ask for more and more of it.  I say screw them.  I think paying tax based on how much you earn is a bridge to communism.

[89MOPAR]

Personal Income tax is a crime on the people.  No need for it. its a small % of the total federal revenue. they could cut spending by 10% and kill the personal income tax with the stroke of a pen and we would never miss it or ever need it to keep things running.


They do it to make people pay their "fair share".  Its punishment for prosperity, has nothing to do with keeping the federal goverment running or keeping our roads paved or paying for education for our kids.  None of that money comes from personal income tax.   

its a crime.

  You need to run for public office ..... seriously  --  Better yet, donate 10% of your income , or an additional 10% if you already tithe to something,  and tell us how it works for you.  The gov't cannot spend less than they take in, we run a deficit nearly every year I can remember.  Tell your grandma she cannot have her medicare meds or government paid for doctors appointment.
        Great sentiment , however it is not going to work in this day and age unfortunately.

However i do applaud his [ snipes] conviction

[hutch]

Personal Income tax is a crime on the people.  No need for it. its a small % of the total federal revenue. they could cut spending by 10% and kill the personal income tax with the stroke of a pen and we would never miss it or ever need it to keep things running.


They do it to make people pay their "fair share".  Its punishment for prosperity, has nothing to do with keeping the federal goverment running or keeping our roads paved or paying for education for our kids.  None of that money comes from personal income tax.   

its a crime.

  You need to run for public office ..... seriously  --  Better yet, donate 10% of your income , or an additional 10% if you already tithe to something,  and tell us how it works for you.  The gov't cannot spend less than they take in, we run a deficit nearly every year I can remember.  Tell your grandma she cannot have her medicare meds or government paid for doctors appointment.
        Great sentiment , however it is not going to work in this day and age unfortunately.

However i do applaud his [ snipes] conviction

I undertand what you are saying but personal income tax does not pay for any of that.  tax on the individual is what I am talking about.

Federal Tax Revenue comes from many many more sources that the small amount they get from the people.  They spend all of the total personal income tax we give them in less than a week out of a full year. It takes us 5 months to work and give them that money on average and they burn it.

I would never run for office till that office was burnt to the ground and started from scratch.

How I feel is not going to work in this day and age because we are all just sheep and keep feeding this machine that does no one any good at all.

[Mike DC]

   
Federal Income taxation is technically unconstitutional and we should never have had to pay it in the first place.  But good luck winning that case in the courts that are set up by your opponent.


Same with US currency.  The "Federal Reserve" is technically not even supposed to be part of the Federal Government.  The Consititution says the US gov't can't be in the money business (to prevent many of the exact problems that we're having right now).

 

[hutch]

   
Federal Income taxation is technically unconstitutional and we should never have had to pay it in the first place.  But good luck winning that case in the courts that are set up by your opponent.


Same with US currency.  The "Federal Reserve" is technically not even supposed to be part of the Federal Government.  The Consititution says the US gov't can't be in the money business (to prevent many of the exact problems that we're having right now).

 

Federal Personal Income tax and the Federal Reserve were created at the same time for the same goal. To control the people.  Even the people who created the Federal Reserve stated that at the time they created it. its all public record but people dont care about our history or why we have become what we are now. THey just want faster cable, faster food service, cheaper products.

Look up your nations history and you will see how screwed up we made this nation in the last 100 years.


This is a great read on the history of the Federal Reserve system and our Income Tax.   its a total crime what they are doing to us.  We dont need a personal income tax to keep our nation going.  Its just a way to control us.

http://www.amazon.com/Creature-Jekyll-Island-Federal-Reserve/dp/0912986212

[Charger_Fan]

This is a great read on the history of the Federal Reserve system and our Income Tax.   its a total crime what they are doing to us.  We dont need a personal income tax to keep our nation going.  Its just a way to control us.

http://www.amazon.com/Creature-Jekyll-Island-Federal-Reserve/dp/0912986212

I'm afraid that book may very well melt my 'sheeple' brain!
I hate conspiracy crap, because it just pisses me off & makes me not trust anything. I'm already too pissed off about our jobs going overseas, the illegal immigration problem & how there is absolutely NOBODY worth voting into the presidency that will do a hoot of good for this country. If I read that book, I may just have to eat a bullet.

[Mike DC]

 
I agree with you about just not wanting to get riled up anymore.


But sometimes I think it's necessary to subject myself to that problem in order to stay riled up about the correct things.

[Todd Wilson]

Just another example of "The Man" keepin' a Brother Down.    Word.   

Waddup Dog............


Todd

[dads_69]

Ain't that a  bitch, the brutha' is now gonna be in jail. Lates' bro' man....See ya' in 3, years that is, peace out yo'.   

[GreenMachine]

 There may be light at the end of the tunnel, Oklahoma is looking into doing away with State/Federal tax on overtime.

http://freedomisthesolution.blogspot.com/2007/09/tax-cuts-are-o-k-l-h-o-m.html

[blackcharger]

BTW, thanks for displaying Angelina's kissy face instead of the two gay fighters.

that broad's about as sexy as a bulldog on a Mack tuck. if those lips of hers were on the Titanic, it'd still be afloat.

[twenty mike mike]

   
Federal Income taxation is technically unconstitutional and we should never have had to pay it in the first place.  But good luck winning that case in the courts that are set up by your opponent.


Same with US currency.  The "Federal Reserve" is technically not even supposed to be part of the Federal Government.  The Consititution says the US gov't can't be in the money business (to prevent many of the exact problems that we're having right now).

 

"Technically unconstitutional"? Was someone not paying attention during Social(ism) Studies in middle school?

Here's an excerpt from Article I of the Constitution, which isn't even one of those "unconstitutional" Amendments.

Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To establish post offices and post roads;  etc, etc...

I don't like taxes either, but I don't see a limitation on what can be taxed. Just because we haven't had an income tax since 1776 doesn't make it "technically unconstitutional."

As far as the govt wasting most of the money it rakes in, no argument there!

[J-440]

  You know why there hasn't been a revolution to overthrow our government yet right?  Crap like American Idol, MTV, any sports event, alcohol and the dumbing down of our school systems are just a few of the problems.  I believe Hitler said it best..."Keep them drunk, keep them entertained, and keep them stupid."  He's obviously referring to the general public and how to control them.  Oh yeah, and confiscating every civilian firearm in Germany at the time.  Sounds a little bit like the United States is going through 60 years later.

[bull]

BTW, thanks for displaying Angelina's kissy face instead of the two gay fighters.

that broad's about as sexy as a bulldog on a Mack tuck. if those lips of hers were on the Titanic, it'd still be afloat.

So you prefer seeing guys kiss? I'm confused.

[Brock Samson]

  You know why there hasn't been a revolution to overthrow our government yet right?  Crap like American Idol, MTV, any sports event, alcohol and the dumbing down of our school systems are just a few of the problems.  I believe Hitler said it best..."Keep them drunk, keep them entertained, and keep them stupid."  He's obviously referring to the general public and how to control them.  Oh yeah, and confiscating every civilian firearm in Germany at the time.  Sounds a little bit like the United States is going through 60 years later.

  ok. I give up,.. why?.. 
   

  I missed the part where they confiscated every civilian fire arm, cause all the cool kids in my hood have them and use them to trade bullets...
   

  and  actually i think the quote is "bread and circuses"...
  but since the price of bread is going up i suspect it won't be too long intill some chick says...
"let them eat cake"...