Wesley Snipes “Beats” Tax Case (A Rare Lost For The IRS!!!)

SIDENOTE: When was the last anyone (let alone a black man) ever receive a victory over the IRS?

http://playahata.com/

Jury acquits Wesley Snipes of tax fraud

By TRAVIS REED, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 13 minutes ago

Action star Wesley Snipes 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 had faced up to 16 years in prison if convicted on all charges, but can now only get up to three years. The “Blade” star and two co-defendants had been indicted in 2006 after Snipes stopped paying, using tax protest arguments long rejected by the courts.

Snipes sat emotionless as his verdict was read, then nodded in relief. He refused to talk with reporters after the verdict, and is still liable for millions in taxes likely to be pursued in civil court.

“Mr. Snipes has always been committed to doing the right thing, and after this trial is over he’ll make whatever amends are required,” defense attorney Robert Bernhoft said. “But this is a man of integrity.”

Snipes’ lawyers argued that he was a victim of crooked advisers, and the jury seemed to believe it. Co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn, the founder of a tax protest group, and Douglas P. Rosile, an accountant who lost his licenses, were convicted Friday by the same panel of tax fraud and conspiracy. Both face up to 10 years in prison.

The government said Snipes failed to file tax returns from 1999 to 2004, a period in which he signed two contracts for more than $10 million on sequels in the “Blade” trilogy.

The actor, who also appeared in “White Men Can’t Jump,” is among the most famous targets of an IRS criminal investigation, and his prosecution was key for the government.

“We thought there was sufficient evidence for a conviction on all counts, but obviously the jury disagreed,” U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill said.

Snipes used bizarre arguments to justify his position, saying the IRS’ own code meant income earned in this country wasn’t taxable, and the agency had no legal authority because it’s not a proper government entity.

Later, the actor threatened the government and individual agents in his pursuit, declaring himself a “nonresident alien” not subject to tax laws.

Prosecutors say Snipes paid taxes in the 1990s, but changed his mind after meeting Kahn in 2000. He allegedly stopped filing returns, illegally sought $11 million in 1996 and 1997 taxes paid and drew fake checks to pay the U.S. Treasury.

Kahn founded the central Florida tax protest group American Rights Litigators and its successor, Guiding Light of God Ministries. He has been using tax scams since at least the early 1980s, according to government documents, and refused to defend himself in court against these charges.

Rosile, a CPA who lost his licenses in Florida and Ohio, allegedly prepared the fraudulent documents for Snipes, along with numerous other Kahn clients.

Judge and jury have long rejected their ideas, but there were exceptions.

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

A few defendants have won acquittal because the jury thought they sincerely believed they did not have to pay.

http://www.thesnipestrial.com/

The verdict is in

By JJ MacNab | February 1, 2008

Bad day for Rosile and Kahn. Relatively good day for Snipes, considering what it could have been.

Rosile and Kahn were both convicted on two felony counts (conspiracy to defraud the government, and aiding in the filing of Snipes’ false refund return.) Snipes was convicted on three misdemeanor counts (willful failure to file tax returns) and acquitted on the remaining charges (the same two felony counts as above and three additional misdemeanor failure to file counts.) Kahn is being held in prison pending sentencing and both Rosile and Snipes are free on bail.

The jury deliberated for just shy of three full business days and came up with what I thought was an odd mix for a verdict. Kahn’s and Rosile’s guilty verdicts were no surprise of course, they’ve been long-term tax protest promoters, and Snipes’ defense counsel were pretty quick to blame them. And even before the jury expressed confusion over the definition of “conspiracy,” I thought Snipes might be acquitted on that count.

The split on the failure to file counts, however, came in the opposite of what I’d guessed. While the prosecutor told the press after the verdict that he thought the three not guilty counts were the result of Snipes’ change in residence, I think it’s more likely that the jury thought that having your rights read to you by a Special Agent (”you have the right to remain silent”) somehow exonerates you from having to send your financial information to the IRS on a Form 1040.

Outside the courthouse was a crowded mess. There were several TV crews, reporters, construction workers from across the street, and many, many Snipes fans and supporters. From the victory dance going on by some of the defense team, one would have thought that the jury had ruled not guilty on all counts.

But it’s important to remember that this was a mixed verdict. Snipes bought into a serious scam to the point of pushing it on his employees, and is now facing three years in prison for believing that tax protest legal fairy tale was real. Because of the enormous amount of income tax, it’s quite possible the judge will send him to prison for the full three years under federal sentencing guidelines.

The tax denier community is already expressing a mix of glee and resentment. Many are finding solace in his partial victory, as if his verdict somehow changes their personal odds of financial ruin and prison. Others are angry that Snipes’ legal team put the blame on Rosile and Kahn, long-term leaders in the tax protest world.

So all that remains besides sentencing is finding out what Snipes will do now. Will he continue his angry tirades to the government? Will he pay taxes (and penalties and interest) on that $38 million of personal income plus $20 million of corporate income and express remorse prior to sentencing? Will he do the responsible thing and warn other potential victims of promoters like Kahn and Rosile not to buy into their schemes?

Time will tell.

fuck the irs!

Once agian i will state; THEY ILLEGALLY ENFORCE THOSES TAXES. THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU MUST PAY TAX ON LABOUR

Proof of a fascist police state. The goverment literally steals money off people and if they don't comply; they are jailed NORMALLY.

CONTINUE to fight them

fcukthepolice said:

obviously Wesley wasn't committed to doing the right thing because he would have paid his taxes.

TonyVanDam said:

fcukthepolice said:

mdiver said:

fcukthepolice said:

Exactly my friend.

Police state indeed. The federal reserve run shit in th U.S and with the other private banks worldwide

Congress need to shut them down and take power back
IF MILLIONS of us fight them; what can they do?

FUCK THE ROCKEFELLERS
[Edited 2/2/08 12:28pm]

aren't you English?

fcukthepolice said:

mdiver said:

aren't you English?

yes but i care about injustice and it's the same people running shit here and doing the same stuff.

FUCK THE ROTHSCHILDS

Rodya24 said:

fcukthepolice said:

yes but i care about injustice and it's the same people running shit here and doing the same stuff.

FUCK THE ROTHSCHILDS

I am curious: Since you are so against a number of institutions, what do you do for a living? Are you an activist for a non-profit organization?

fcukthepolice said:

There are a lot of problems in the US that could be fixed simply by us returning to a gold standard and taking back the power to print our own money.

Some orgers scare the hell out of me.

guitarslinger44 said:

There are a lot of problems in the US that could be fixed simply by us returning to a gold standard and taking back the power to print our own money.

A DJ on a radio station once mentioned that someone had won a case against the IRS before, but they ended up losing everything in the process. I'm not sure if it was someone they knew personally or what, but it's possible to win a case against the IRS.