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January 30, 2008
Posted: 01:47 PM ET

NEW YORK – The multimillionaire movie star paid no taxes – none at all, didn’t even file returns – from 1999-2004. Now on trial for tax fraud, his lawyers concede he must pay millions of dollars in back taxes, penalties and fees, but they claim no fraud took place because he was open in his refusal to pay.

Huh?

The jury is out as I write. He could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted, and his lawyers say even if acquitted, he’ll have to work for the next 20 years to repay his civil debt to the IRS. Read about the trial

Reminds me of Michael Vick. A man at the top of his game, who had it all, and who threw it all away for illegal behavior that is incomprehensible to most of us. He risked losing his high-flying NFL career over . . . dog fighting?

Wesley Snipes. Riding high as a worldwide film star, who risked his reputation, wealth and freedom to . . . join a merry band of tax avoiders? Guys who claim the IRS has no jurisdiction over wages earned in the U.S.?

Huh?

Lisa Bloom, In Session anchor

Filed under: Lisa Bloom • Trials


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Sheila   January 30th, 2008 2:31 pm ET

Dummies in Hollywood.

steve   January 30th, 2008 2:36 pm ET

why is everyone surprised?

Joyce   January 31st, 2008 12:55 pm ET

Why would this guy risk his career to align himself this group of misfits?

Tommy   January 31st, 2008 3:02 pm ET

This behavior should not surprise anyone. This is typical of hollywood persons. The law does not apply to them. If you watch the news you see this every day. Thats all I have to say about this.

cindy   January 31st, 2008 3:28 pm ET

I hope he goes to jail. This is just another case of someone getting greedy. The millions of dollars he already had wasn’t enough? Does he really think that 12 ordinary people who actually paid their taxes (and could use the money more than him) are going to believe that he is smart enough to live the life he lives but dumb enough not to investigate this group and the possible consequences he would face if he followed their practices? I doubt it. He needs to go to jail and to loose all of his assets just like the average joe would.

Mike   January 31st, 2008 6:13 pm ET

If convicted, as he certainly should be, he will attribute his misfortune to his race, having already put the world on notice that he claims he can’t get a fair trial in Ocala, Florida, because the population there is mostly white and mostly law-abiding. His only possible defense, and even so a desperately slim chance, was that he “honestly believed” that he didn’t have to pay taxes. Not much of a defense at all when he proved too cowardly to take the stand and testify about what he thought and when he thought it, and how he managed to associate with his slimy co-defendants. A few years in prison ought to get him pumped up for his next action flick.

Christie   January 31st, 2008 6:19 pm ET

Go figure..All of the causes that mean something to the world, and he aligns himself with the one that will help him further line his pockets, while ensuring he does nada to help those less fortunate. Makes me want to run right out and buy one of his movies…they should make a merry bonfire..

Jensen   January 31st, 2008 6:33 pm ET

You’re the man Snipes. I smell Change in the Air

Eric   January 31st, 2008 6:41 pm ET

From what I’ve heard, there are lots of former IRS employees who quit working there because they discovered that it was a sham, and they are living free and prosperous in the US even while having filed no tax returns since.

Shinden   January 31st, 2008 6:58 pm ET

Guess he will have to be held accountable for his actions. I think I will pay my taxes. The consequences of not paying them is too high for me.

anon   January 31st, 2008 8:51 pm ET

Lisa Bloom, you really need to become more aware of the laws. Find the law requiring Mr. Snipes to pay taxes (you won’t find one).

Terrell   January 31st, 2008 8:54 pm ET

These celebrities and athletes must get SO bored with their current lifestyles of fashion, glamour, paparazzis and the rest of the whole nine yards that HEY! Why not cause some controversy by… oh i dont know… avoiding my taxes for almost a decade. And then after that, I can set up dog fights like I’m some kind of hoodlum! And then for the finale, I’ll make a HUGE debate between the Media and licensed professionals on whether I’m having mental issues or not!

Adam   January 31st, 2008 9:38 pm ET

Because there is no law anywhere saying that you have to pay income tax. Its actually forbidden by the constitution. Search for Tom Cryer vs IRS. Its really strange, its kind of like somebody just decided they were going to take money from people who made money. Who else did this, hmmm hmmm let me think… oh yea, the Mafia. LOL

noname   January 31st, 2008 10:06 pm ET

Idiot. Plain and simple.

Jon   January 31st, 2008 10:33 pm ET

I wonder what life would be like if we all could disobey any law that didn’t suit us, just because we were open about it.

I think that Snipes hooked up with this group of con artists — the label “misfits” is too mild for them — because he got greedy. He wanted more and more money in his pocket, and he was ripe for the plucking by BS artists who read the tax laws and code in the hope of finding “magic words” which support their preconceived hypotheses about why we all really don’t have to pay taxes. As far as I’m concerned, anyone who is foolish enough to swallow this sucker-bait deserves any punishment that they get.

Mark Jones   January 31st, 2008 11:16 pm ET

WESLEY, INCOME TAX IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL! I SUGGEST THAT YOU RESEARCH THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF INCOME TAX AND THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO LAW IN THE US THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO PAY TAXES! KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! FIGHT THE SYSTEM!

Austin   January 31st, 2008 11:57 pm ET

If he were a farmer/survivalist in the Ozarks the Ron Paul/Libertarian contingency would be hailing him as a hero.

Steve C   February 1st, 2008 12:22 am ET

Maybe you should investigate if the tax code was ever actually ratified by the states. Or better yet, find the law that says you have to pay federal income tax.

blueseaglass   February 1st, 2008 12:45 am ET

Oops. Audit at 1600 is coming his way! hehe

Christopher Majewski   February 1st, 2008 2:49 am ET

How dumb was this, man? Come on! I’ll be watching Blade in a slightly different light now..

praveenprabhu   February 1st, 2008 3:36 am ET

What was he thinking really?

nick_twisp   February 1st, 2008 8:23 am ET

Um … Title 26 of the United States Code (the Internal Revenue Code) covers income tax. And the U.S. Code *is* the law. Have a look.

AYBABTU   February 1st, 2008 11:03 am ET

TITLE 26 > Subtitle A > CHAPTER 1 is the “LAW” that covers “income tax”

merlin08   February 1st, 2008 12:33 pm ET

Geez. what was he thinking? That’s some bad example he’s setting.

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Sidebar takes you behind the scenes of the day's legal headlines with breaking news and in-depth analysis from In Session's anchors and correspondents.

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Ashleigh Banfield
Co-anchor of the daily trial program Banfield and Ford: Courtside
Ashleigh Banfield
Jack Ford
A former prosecutor and co-anchor of the daily trial program Banfield & Ford: Courtside
Jack Ford
Lisa Bloom
Anchor of the daily trial program Lisa Bloom: Open Court
Lisa Bloom
Jami Floyd
Former defense attorney and anchor of her own daily program Jami Floyd: Best Defense
Jami Floyd
Fred Graham
Senior Editor Fred Graham covers legal news in Washington, D.C.
Fred Graham
Jean Casarez
Attorney Jean Casarez covers trials around the country
Jean Casarez
Beth Karas
Former prosecutor Beth Karas covers trials around the country
Beth Karas
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