Wesley Snipes was found not guilty of federal tax-fraud and conspiracy charges earlier today nonetheless he was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return.
Snipes was facing up to 16 years in prison if convicted on all charges, but can now only get up to three years.His defense attorney Robert Bernhoft said:
“Mr. Snipes has always been committed to doing the right thing, and after this trial is over he’ll make whatever amends are required,””But this is a man of integrity.”
Snipes’ lawyers argued that he was a victim of crooked advisers, and the jury seemed to believe it.The government said Snipes failed to file tax returns from 1999 to 2004, a period in which he signed two contracts for more than $10 million on sequels in the “Blade” trilogy.He allegedly stopped filing returns, illegally sought $11 million in 1996 and 1997 taxes paid and drew fake checks to pay the U.S. Treasury.
Snipes used bizarre arguments to justify his position, saying the IRS’ own code meant income earned in this country wasn’t taxable, and the agency had no legal authority because it’s not a proper government entity.
