Buzzin Celebrity Gossip

The Hollywood star, Wesley Snipes, has been sentenced to the maximum three-year term for not filing tax returns.

The star of Blade 3 and Demolition Man had “engaged a campaign of criminal tax conduct, combining brazen defiance with insidious concealment”, he had failed to pay $2.7 million taxes.

Snipes, 45-year-old, allegedly offered over 25 letters attesting to his good character from friends, family and fellow actors.

It was argued that as all the three conviction, one year for each conviction, were misdemeanors and as he had no previous convictions, therefore he should only get probation.

However, the judge said Snipes showed a “history of contempt over a period of time” for US tax laws.  The judge added “In my mind these are serious crimes, albeit misdemeanors”.

Snipes apologised and read from a written statement “I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance.”

In February this year, Snipes was acquitted of five additional charges, which included felony tax fraud and conspiracy.  But Douglas P Rosile and Eddie Ray Khan, his co-defendants, were found guilty and sentenced to 54 months and 10 years respectively.

Kahn belonged to a group which allegedly helped it’s members legally avoid paying taxes and Rosile, was a former accountant who lost his licenses in Ohio and Florida, and prepared Snipe’s paperwork.

Snipe’s has been the prosecutor’s highest-profile criminal tax target in years and they said his case was sending an important message to would-be tax protesters not to test the government.