Ducky J Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 (edited) I have just seen on BBC.CO.UK that actor Wesley Snipes was handed the maxium 3 year prison sentence possible for failing to file tax returns. More on this as it comes in. MSN Movie News Article BBC Webpage Article Edited April 24, 2008 by Ducky J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Pants Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 3 years! Yikes! I guess it's good that he didn't get special treatment because of who he is but three years is harsh considering certain celebs put the public at risk by driving under the influence and appear to get away with it. Clearly if you try to rip off the US Government you're going down, get drunk and plough into another car you just get a slapped wrist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky J Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 This will more likely go to appeal and get reduced to a non custodial punishment. He received the maximum, and that is rare in the States for this type of offence. The Prosecution specified that he should get the maxium because he was famous and should be used as an example to non famous people. A bit harsh is an understatement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I was shocked too. Although I agree he shouldn't get special treatment, I also think it is wrong he is made an example of because he is famous. It is rare for a judge to give a maximum sentance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj wildfire Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I think it should be made law that it is not a crime to not pay tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylar_ate_my_brain Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I have just seen on BBC.CO.UK that actor Wesley Snipes was handed the maxium 3 year prison sentence possible for failing to file tax returns. More on this as it comes in. MSN Movie News Article BBC Webpage Article Serves him right. It's not like he cant afford it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky J Posted April 30, 2008 Author Share Posted April 30, 2008 From looking at the court reports etc, it seems that the biggest bone of contention was the actual amount that he is alleged to have earnt in the United States, and what he earnt outside of the USA. There was also representation that he is not worth anywhere near from the State Prosecutor said he was. But at the end of the day, what he has been found guilty of is listed as a crime and thus he has been punished. The only thing that confuses me, is why some convicted individuals in the USA do not go to prison straight away, but have up until a certain date to do so. Keifer Sutherland was due to split his imprisonment for DUI into two periods so as not to conflict with filming of 24 - this obviously changed when the strike hit - and other people in the media spotlight such as Snipes, Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie etc haven't gone to prison straight away. I guess in the USA that money truly does talk. If you look at the UK, they go straight to prison. Jeffrey Archer being a prime example in recent times. But hey ho..let's hope for Snipes' own good that he learns to file his tax returns...the Tax Man always wins.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankslittlemachine Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Amen to that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky J Posted April 30, 2008 Author Share Posted April 30, 2008 Well, my payslips shout at me that the Tax Man always wins lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzy Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Serves him right. It's not like he cant afford it. EXACTLY!! Its a few pence to him, or the equivalent of probs, and yet everyone else still has to pay who earns a lot less than him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyT Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 From looking at the court reports etc, it seems that the biggest bone of contention was the actual amount that he is alleged to have earnt in the United States, and what he earnt outside of the USA. In simple terms it's an irrelevance, as Uncle Sam's minions at the IRS demand their cut of all earnings both home and overseas; the US tax system is notorious for taxing worldwide income and being immune to having overseas earnings as a method of tax avoidance. (I've always thought of this as a bit of a trade-off; they might tax all your earnings, but they will also tend to send an aircraft carrier and a battalion of marines anywhere in the world if US citizens are in danger ) There is a movement in the US of people who claim that tax is voluntary and certain earnings are exempt, based on some interesting old court rulings, but generally their views have been overturned in the courts again and again; from my experience of them, many of them seem like utter fruitloops who are just as likely to tell you that Elvis still alive, and don't even get them started on JFK... http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancya...led-three-years is a good place to start - follow their links and you're into stuff like http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancya...med-nonresident and http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancya...oup-promote-tax The bottom line is Snipes wasn't avoiding this tax by accident; he deliberately took steps to avoid paying, and frankly can't bleat too much about having been caught, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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