Wesley Snipes acquitted on Tax Fraud charges

A Florida jury has acquitted Wesley Snipes of federal tax fraud and conspiracy charges, but convicted him of three misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns.  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, who originally faced up to 16 years in prison, could still get up to 3 years. Even so beating the IRS on those charges is pretty amazing. Snipes income over the period of time in which he failed to file taxes amounted to millions of dollars.  He may still be liable for those millions in taxes, as it’s likely to be pursued in civil court by the IRS.
Snipes is currently free on bond, but said after the ruling: “I’m feeling great — a little confused, but great.” Asked if he is worried about going to prison, he said, “I don’t know. It’s nice to be out here with you right now. We live in the moment.”

Snipes’ lawyers argued that he was a victim of crooked advisers, and the jury seemed to believe it. His two co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn, the founder of a tax protest group, and Douglas P. Rosile, an accountant who lost his licenses, were not so lucky and were convicted by the same jury of the more serious charges of tax fraud and conspiracy.  Both face up to 10 years in prison.

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