Speaking of incarcerated celebs, yesterday TMZ reported that actor Wesley Snipes is going to jail.. In February, the “Blade” star was tried on eight charges–acquitted on five of them, he was convicted of three counts of willful failure to file a return. Those three counts will translate into three years, the AP reported on Thursday.
While Snipes’ attorneys argued it was just $228,000 that the actor owed and suggested a lenient sentence, the government claimed he owed $2.7 million and prosecutors pressed for the maximum sentence of three years in prison. Snipes procured character reference letters from Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington (I guess hoping that the guys who portrayed Larry Flynt and Malcolm X would be persuasive) but to no avail.
The three-year sentence indicates that Snipes is being made an example of:
Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, said, “Snipes’ long prison sentence should send a loud and crystal clear message to all tax defiers that if they engage in similar tax defier conduct, they face joining him and his co-defendants … as inmates in prison.”
So, always pay your taxes, kids. And never make “Blade III,” no matter how much money they give you.
posted April 25, 2008 at 11:20 am
Wesley Snipes is a very talented actor from way back. It’s too bad it took this for him to realized that no one, absolutely no one, gets away from paying taxes. With all that he makes, he wouldn’t have felt it. Regular hourly payed employees as myself would, but when you make millions? I don’t think it would make that much of a dent in your pocketbook. Come on Snipes pay your taxes.
posted April 25, 2008 at 11:44 am
I believe no one (absolutely no one) is above the law with regard to tax payment. However, the maximum sentencing of Wesley Snipes is too high for a first offender who made his money legitimately, regardless of the fact that the judge is setting an example.
posted April 25, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I believe ever since court T.V. have become so popular we are now seeing celebrity being hit hard with no priors convictions like Martha Stewart. I don’t know is it to teaching them a lesson or just being fair. Perhaps the Judges,prosecutors,defense attorneys are seeking celebrity status
they are certainly getting paid as such. It boils down to this do the right thing always, we do not do know which way the pendulum going to swing when it our turn at bat.
posted April 28, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I wonder if he even knew that was going on, or if someone on his staff, responsible for finances screwed up.
posted April 29, 2008 at 2:02 am
well yes he knew, he even told people that worked for him to not pay their taxes. so he cant run that one that an accountant did it! I hope that he like all “us little People” gets what we would have to do and thats jail time,hes not that special!