Wesley Snipes gets 3 years

[Sonic dB]

Huge sentence for tax evasion! He will be almost 50 when he gets out.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080424/ap_on_en_mo/snipes_tax_trial

[911Rob]

crooks putting away crooks.
Ba$tards

[Sonic dB]

ive had my own issues with the IRS and have won...im on the phone with them at this very moment trying to get them to find a document that they were supposed to send me but didnt...funny how they get on you when they think you owe them, but lose stuff when they owe you...

[Moses]

"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."

WTF!!! Isn't Snipes entitled to equal treatment under the law? This sounds like a case of malicious prosecution.

Snipes should get the same EXACT punishment he would get if he were a white collar tax evader, nothing more.

[Moses]

Does the 14th amendment "Equal protection" clause only apply to the states? Is the Federal government free to tyrannize citizens selectively?

[craigster59]

It always burns me when they say they want to "send a message". Screw the message, just prosecute and sentence as you would any similar case. They did the same crap with Martha Stewart, yet insider trading is still rampant.

[sammyg2]

Um, he refused to pay millions of dollar in taxes. he lied about his income. He claimed he was exempt from paying taxes to the US government. He fled the country to avoid getting caught.
I'd say he got what he deserves, almost. 4 years would have been just about right as long as it was accompanied by a $10 million fine.

[Racerbvd]

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

With him as a character witness, he is lucky he didn't get life

[Seahawk]

A remarkably poorly written article...difficult to discern if he got three years or, "Snipes will serve one year of supervised release."

In any event, it doesn't seem selective, from the link: 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.

Oh, I hate taxes

[MRM]

Snipes deliberately did not pay taxes for years, claiming he was excempt from taxes because the federal income tax is illegha - the usual tax protester stuff. His defense at trial was that he reasonably relied on the lunitic who told him he didn't have to pay taxes. He was acquitted of the most serious charge that would have resulted in several years of time in prison. He is a lucky man.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by MRM

Snipes deliberately did not pay taxes for years, claiming he was excempt from taxes because the federal income tax is illegha - the usual tax protester stuff. His defense at trial was that he reasonably relied on the lunitic who told him he didn't have to pay taxes. He was acquitted of the most serious charge that would have resulted in several years of time in prison. He is a lucky man.

If his sentence is in the same ballpark as other lower profile tax cheats I have no problem with it. If he was given a harsher sentence in order to set a very public example, then that's just not right.

[red-beard]

He's not getting a harsher sentance than the last few tax protesters. At least he didn't do what most do, lock themselves in their house and have an armed standoff.

[mike_dunn]

Will they freeze him à la Demolition Man?

Seriously though, here are some neat facts about FEDERAL income tax expenditures from CNBC. Fun little pie chart to see how much of your $ went toward: http://www.nationalpriorities.org/taxchart2008/

42.2¢ of every dollar funds the military.
22.1¢ funds health care.
10.2¢ pays interest on non-military debt.
8.7¢ funds anti-poverty programs.
4.4¢ funds education, employment training, social services.
3.9¢ funds the running of government & law enforcement.
3.3¢ funds housing assistance and community development programs.
2.6¢ funds environmental programs, energy exploration and any programs that deal with general science, technology and space.
1.5¢ funds agriculture and transportation spending.
1¢ funds international relations (foreign humanitarian assistance, conduct of foreign affairs and international financial programs).

[Rick Lee]

Given tha Marion Barry completely skated on his five or six years of fed. tax evasion, maybe Snipes's case is selective prosecution. If they didn't want to nail someone like Barry, why Snipes? Still, the law is the law and Snipes was begging for it.

[BGCarrera32]

"Passenger 57, meet Cell 57..."

[cgarr]

Should be out in less than a year.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by cgarr

Should be out in less than a year.

I agree. Funny, isn't it, how tax evasion articles appear this time of year?

Anyway, he'll get out...then make a movie about his escape.

[MRM]

He just got sentenced today. He was convicted at trial a few months ago. This is the natuaral time for a presentence investigation to get done and a sentencing to get scheduled. He evaded 15 million in tax. Not tax on 15 million in income - taxes of 15 million. If he stole 15 million from a bank he would have gone away for life. He got about what anyone else in the same situation would get.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by MRM

He got about what anyone else in the same situation would get.

That's all I need to hear. Good enough.

I can't imagine facing a judge and trying to explain that since Federal taxes aren't "apportioned", I didn't think I needed to pay.

[BeyGon]

I heard tonight he didn't pay taxes on 38 mill, that is a big chunk. They put people in jail for cheating a lot less than than. If he had to pay -if he had the funds to pay- all back taxes plus penalties I could see some lessor sentance but I guess he can't do it.