Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Wesley Snipes Indicted on Tax Fraud Charges After Seeking $12 Million Tax Refund
Actor Wesley Snipes was indicted today on tax fraud charges after seeking $12 million in tax refunds and failing to file returns for six years. From the U.S. Attorney's press release:
An eight-count indictment was unsealed today charging Wesley Trent Snipes, formerly of Windermere, Fla., Eddie Ray Kahn, of Sorrento, Fla., and Douglas P. Rosile, of Venice, Fla., with conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and presenting a fraudulent claim for payment to the IRS, Assistant Attorney General Eileen J. O’Connor of the Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Paul I. Perez of the Middle District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Yasofsky, Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation today announced. Snipes is also charged with six counts of failing to file income tax returns. Each of the conspiracy and false claim charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Snipes also faces up to one year in prison on each charge of failing to file income tax returns....
The indictment alleges that Snipes, Kahn and Rosile attempted, through dishonest means, to make it appear as if Snipes had no liability for federal income taxes, when, in fact, Snipes had such tax liabilities. As part of the scheme, the defendants allegedly prepared and filed two amended federal income tax returns for Snipes, fraudulently claiming refunds of 1996 and 1997 income taxes previously paid, totaling almost $12 million. The indictment also alleges that Snipes did not file his 1999 through 2004 federal income tax returns, even though the law required him to do so.
The Smoking Gun has the indictment here. For more coverage, see:
(Hat tip: Jim Maule, Pete Wentz & Howard Zaritsky.)
Update: Ira Sheppard passes on Mr. Snipes' income from his movies:
- Blade: Trinity (2004) $13,000,000
- Murder at 1600 (1997) $10,000,000
- The Fan (1996) $7,000,000
- Money Train (1995) $5,500,000
- Drop Zone (1994) $7,000,000
https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2006/10/wesley_snipes_i.html
