Actor Wesley Snipes, after a year-long battle with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service totally took the agency, its lawyers and the court by surprise yesterday when he presented three separate checks of $5 million each to pay for all his owed back taxes that he swore he didn’t owe and would never pay.
His act ended up getting the actor a lesser sentence of 36 months and the dismissal of all other charges.
Armed with the checks and character witnesses such as fellow actors Denzel Washington, Woody Harrelson, family, friends and associates who all attested to Snipes’ good character and citizenship, the court found itself being lenient on the actor for a case that has become the biggest tax evasion trial in decades.
Snipes could have faced jail time of upwards of 25 years for failure to comply with U.S. tax law and the prosecuting attorney wanted to send a strong message to all people, rich and poor alike, by using Snipes as an example, that everyone is liable for unpaid taxes.
However, the court, after accepting the checks from Snipes for the unpaid taxes, and listening to his formal prepared statment of apology, in which he never mentioned being a tax evader, dismissed most of the charges and gave the actor the lesser sentence of 3 years in jail, in which he could be eligible for parole in as little as 6 months. He is free on bond until the judge sets his arrest date and his 36 month sentence officially begins.
Even with this the prosecutors were content. “The sentencing court sends the right message to the American taxpayer — you’ve got to pay your taxes,” said U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill.
He owe 15 million? How the heck did he missed paying that much tax? Smells like his managers and accountants were idiots (or crooks).
Prison time...hope it is in a white-collar minimum security place like where Conrad Black and Enron's execs were placed (Club-Fed).
15 mil does seem like a lot. Yet, the dude actually owed a little over 13 million in unpaid taxes since 1998. That's 10 years of unpaid taxes from a successful, high-paying actor's salary. Then you lump in the penalties and the next thing you know you're at 15 mil easily.
In his formal apology to the court and US government Snipes did say he was guilty of trusty his financial people too much and leaving everything to them. However, as far as Uncle Sam is concerned, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Still Wesley is getting off pretty easy for his infraction -- although I do agree with him that taxes are getting really ridiculous and it seems the American citizen is getting way less good bang for their hard-earned buck these days...but plenty of pork!
if he was white and not rich he would probably get a minimum sentence of 10 years to possibly life in prison.
why cant he be found guilty on how much blade 3 sucked and be forced to pay everyones money back, LOL.
i have heard people say who ever produced that peace of trash deserves the death penalty.