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Wesley Snipes in Trouble for Dubai Trip

Hollywood Grind — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Wesley Snipes was convicted nearly a year ago of failing to file federal tax returns on at least $11 million in income earned between 1999 and 2001, and was sentenced to three years in prison. Since then his case in on appeal, and the judge has allowed Snipes to leave the country to work on movies.

Federal prosecutors have now learned that Snipes took an unauthorized trip to the United Arab Emirates for the gala opening of the $1.5 billion Atlantis the Palm hotel in Dubai.

On Tuesday Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill filed court documents to prevent Snipes from anymore work trips outside the United States. O’Neill wrote:

"Defendant Snipes’ assertion that he has ’lived up to the trust the court has shown in him’ is incorrect,"O’Neill wrote in the filing. "Defendant Snipes abused the court’s trust and did so in a very public way. For that reason alone, the court should deny his current request for international travel."

Snipes wants permission to go to Namibia to reshoot scenes for the horror film Gallowwalker and then to Torino, Italy, to shoot the action flick Game of Death.

Snipes attorney claims Snips should be able to travel, and is not going to run from the law:

"Snipes has never presented and does not currently present a risk of flight," attorney Daniel Meachum wrote in the latest travel request filed on behalf of his client."

"It is essential that Mr. Snipes complete this project to satisfy his civil tax liabilities and provide for his family."

Snipes was convicted and sentenced to prison. It’s almost like he’s out on paroll, except not. He should have known better, just like when he didn’t pay his taxes. Snipes might not only lose his priviledge to leave the country, but he may also be penalized by the court for violating their trust. That penalty could be sitting in prison while waiting for his appeal to run its course. Luckily the prosecutor didn’t ask for jail time, this time.

Wesley Snipes is Free to Leave the United States

Hollywood Grind — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:09:49 +0000

A Federal judge in Florida, Judge William Terrell Hodges, said Wesley Snipes could leave the country for three days this month, and to Thailand for eight weeks, while Snipes awaits his appeal on his conviction on tax evasion charges. Snipes told the judge he needed the work to pay of his debt to the IRS.

The two films Snipes will be filming are called Gallowwalker and Chasing the Dragon.

Wesley Snipes Wants to Leave the Country

Hollywood Grind — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:25:18 +0000

Wesley Snipes has asked the judge, in his tax fraud conviction case, to allow him to travel to London and Bangkok, Thailand, to work on two films. Snipes wants the judge to give him his passport back, so he can work to earn money "to satisfy his civil tax liabilities."

Snipes is currently appealing his conviction, and the prosecutors have a motion before the court asking Snipes to be incarcerated while his appeal is pending. It seems like it’s worth the risk to allow Snipes to earn money abroad, rather than stick him in a cell at tax payer’s expense.

Wesley Snipes is Wanted

Hollywood Grind — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:25:05 +0000

The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion Thursday with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, saying that it will appeal a U.S. district judge’s May 22 decision allowing Wesley Snipes to remain free on bond while he appeals his three-year sentence. Steve Cole, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said:

"We want him in custody. He’s been convicted by a jury. He has been sentenced to three years and he should be in custody."

On May 22, Judge William Terrell Hodges wrote a court order saying:

"… the court is persuaded by the history of the case and all of the attendant circumstances that the defendant poses no substantial risk of flight and does not constitute a danger of any kind if he remains at liberty pending appeal."

After the April 25 sentencing, Snipes handed Hodges three checks totaling $5 million in back taxes. Cole said the Internal Revenue Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, were working together to determine just how much Snipes still has to pay. Previously federal officials estimated Snipes owed about $17 million in back taxes, fines and interest.

It seems harsh to jail a citizen for not fulfilling their civil duty to pay taxes. It’s a dark day in our history as a country when the Government, through their agent the Internal Revenue Service, becomes a debt collector, which is probably one of the most hated concepts in our culture. The insult turns into an act of revenge when the I.R.S. jails a citizen for not fulfilling their civil debt. A more humane approach would appear to be to seize a percentage of the citizen’s assets to pay off some of the debt, but not take so much the citizen cannot afford to live. Fairness, or at least the appearance of fairness, would go a long way in securing the good will of citizens, and might even increase compliance in the payment of taxes.

Wesley Snipes Free on Bail

Hollywood Grind — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:24:18 +0000

Yesterday a judge said Wesley Snipes would not have to report to jail on June 3rd if he was granted bail. Today a court ruled Snipes could remain free on bail while he appeals his conviction. The judge granting the bail in Florida said:

"The Court recognizes that the disposition of an appeal may well equal, or nearly equal, the length of the term of the commitment imposed."

Translated, that means if the conviction is upheld by the appeals court, Snipes may do little or no jail time.

Bill O’Reilly Goes After Wesley Snipes

Hollywood Grind — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:25:08 +0000

Bill O’Reilly went after Wesley Snipes tonight. Talk about kicking a guy when he’s down. Bill had on Judge Greg Mathis, who also wrote a character reference for Wesley Snipes. Mathis points out that Snipes’ crime was a non-violent misdemeanor, and even Willie Nelson didn’t even get jail time for his tax crime. However, Willie gave away most of his money to help people, but Snipes kept the money he didn’t pay in taxes for himself, so that’s like comparing apples to oranges. The crime was the same, but the intent was different.

You reap what you sew.

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Wesley Snipes Sentenced to 3 Years!

Hollywood Grind — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:29:09 +0000

Despite a character letter from both Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes was sentenced today to THREE years in prison. He got the maximum sentence. 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."

The judge ruled that Snipes did not have to start serving his sentence immediately, but could surrender at a later date. He was convicted in February of three misdemeanor charges for failing to file his taxes. The government also claimed he owed $2.7 million, but his lawyer said it was only $228,000. If he owed such a small amount why was he STUPID enough to roll the dice and not pay it?!!! He’ll have three years to figure out how to file his taxes in the future.

Wesley fought the gov and the gov won.

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Wesley Snipes Faces Jail Time

Hollywood Grind — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:33:05 +0000

Federal prosecutors asked a court Monday to make an example of Wesley Snipes by sentencing him to the maximum of three years in prison for failing to file a tax return.

It’s cases like this that really showcase how the IRS has too much power, and no watch dog to check that power. American citizens should not face jail time for debt, or for failing to file and pay taxes. The IRS can get a court judgement, or even a lien against property, to get repaid for the debt owed to them, so jail time seems more like an abuse of power than justice.

Free Wesley!

{democracy:102}

Wesley Snipes Not Guilty of Tax Fraud

Hollywood Grind — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:43:10 +0000

Wesley Snipes (45) was found not guilty of federal tax-fraud and conspiracy charges Friday, but was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return. Snipes faced 16 years in prison, but now may face only 3 years. He could get probation.

Co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn, the founder of a tax protest group, and Douglas P. Rosile, the accountant, were convicted by the same jury of tax fraud and conspiracy.

Snipes sat expressionless until all of his verdicts were read. Then, defense attorney Robert Bernhoft put his hand on the actor’s leg and Snipes nodded in relief.

Rosile grimaced when his verdict was read. Kahn was not in attendance. He remains behind bars and argues the court has no jurisdiction to try him.

The IRS bears a unique burden of proof in criminal tax cases. The agency must show not only that someone broke the law, but he or she did so with willful, bad purpose to defraud the government.

Celebrity justice is served again. If you’ve got the money, you can hire the right attorney with the right connections.

Wesley Snipes is Going to Jail

Hollywood Grind — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:03:24 +0000

Today in a Florida federal court, Wesley Snipes and his attorneys rested their case, without calling a single witness. His attorney, Daniel Meachum, said, "We chose not to call witnesses because there was no need to. The government prosecutors have put on a case that simply does not come close to meeting the standard of its burden of proof."

Snipes and two co-defendants are currently on trial in for allegedly failing to file his 2000 federal taxes, for demanding $11 million in tax refunds on taxes he’d already paid, and bouncing checks to the U.S. Treasury. Snipes’ attorneys say he is the victim of unscrupulous accountants and sincerely believed he didn’t have to pay taxes.

Earlier in the trial Wesley sent a document to the IRS that said:

He chastised the IRS and prosecutors, saying their position toward him was “simply false, fraudulent and misrepresenting.” The document also warned the government’s “illegal collection action” would result in “significant personal liability” for those involved. “Warning – pursuit of such a high profile target will open the door for your increased collateral risk,” Snipes wrote. “I certainly don’t believe this is in your best interest and can be avoided.”

… Among other things, the letter claimed the IRS deceives people to “terrorize, enslave, rape or pillage” taxpayers.

After serving his time in prison Snipes is going to look back at all this stupidity and wish it had all been a publicity stunt for a new movie.

HollywoodGrind - Celebrity gossip juicy celebrity rumors celebrity scandals Hollywood gossip blog » Wesley Snipes

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