Actor Wesley Snipes Blames Racism For Tax Charges

[White Rain]

OCALA, Fla. - Actor Wesley Snipes is a victim of “unscrupulous tax advice” and is being selectively targeted for prosecution on federal tax evasion charges because he is black, his attorneys argue in a motion to dismiss the indictment.
That’s what Snipes has said all along about the charges.
In a June 4 motion to dismiss the indictment, Snipes’ attorneys argue that prosecutors filed additional tax evasion charges against him and not against two co-defendants because they are “Caucasian, while Mr. Snipes is African-American.”
A federal judge is still considering the motion.
The Oct. 17 indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 for income taxes already paid. The star of the “Blade” trilogy and other films also was charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004.
The indictment said Snipes conspired with American Rights Litigators’ founder Eddie Ray Kahn and tax preparer Douglas P. Rosile Sr. to file false refund claims based on a bogus argument that only income from foreign sources was subject to taxation. more at link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19158227/from/RS.4/

 

[Taximom]

Last time I checked I didn't see a "race" box to check off on the IRS forms.

 

[philamena]

Last time I checked I didn't see a "race" box to check off on the IRS forms.

:clap: Me either Taximom.
Wesley needs to grow up and pay his taxes.

The Oct. 17 indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 for income taxes already paid

And he wonders why his taxes were audited? Who in the hello gets a 12 million buck refund?

 

[tennessee]

You have got to be kidding me. Doesn't he know that if you don't pay the alphabet guys are coming after you and you will go to jail if you don't pay up with outrageous interest? It isn't based on race, sex, age or anything else. You either pay the taxman or your toast.

The IRS is one group I never want to deal with, ever. I have seen what they can do and it ain't pretty.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Snipes sounds pretty ignorant, but unfortunately for him, ignorance is no excuse when you evade taxes,and it appears he evaded paying a huge amount--Richard Hatch,the first SURVIVOR winner,and who is white,got 48 months in a Federal Prison for only evading 500k in taxes--Get ready Wesley Snipes, prison is waiting for you, too

 

[MagicRose99]

I really hate it when people play the race card... Hasn't Wes ever heard of Richard Hatch - the guy from Survivor? Apparently, ol' Rich musta bleached his skin if ol' Wes is to be believed that it's a race issue...

 

[Masterj]

Wesley Snipes is an idiot.

 

[j2mirish]

Wesley Snipes is an idiot.

well stated- !

 

[froggierintexas]

When people use race as an excuse for their shortcomings they only hurt others who are truly discriminated against. Shame on you Wesley.

 

[AmandaBrown23]

people will say anything to get out of trouble I swear.

 

[BhamMama]

If I recall correctly, it isn't that he's playing the race card in direction to paying taxes, it's that he's a client of these people and he's the only client that's been charged, plus had more charges than even the tax people? He says it's because he's black, I say it's because he has more money and they figure they'll have better luck getting paid that way.

 

[Nova]

Mr. Snipes may be wrong in claiming that racism has influenced his charges, or it may just be something his lawyer wants to try.

HOWEVER, since NONE of us here knows the details, I am at a loss to understand how my fellow posters so confidently declare "race" to be irrelevant in this matter. How the hell would we know?!

IRS officials use considerable personal discretion in filing charges and assessing penalties. Does race sometimes influence their decisions? I don't know. But I see no reason to assume it does not. (And while there may not be a check-box to declare one's race on an IRS form, Mr. Snipes' race is rather well known.)

 

[Taximom]

OH please, spare me!!!

 

[froggierintexas]

You know, there are many other rich black people that they haven't singled out, so I'm gonna stick to my opinion that he is just trying to weasel out of a debt.

I know one thing for sure, the IRS is in the business of MONEY and it's green. In the end, they just want the money.

 

[Paladin]

I think the charges had more to do with the amount in question than the color of Wesley's skin.

 

[gman20001969]

Man...

What an $%&hole... tax evasion and fraudulent claims are crimes that the IRS will find...eventually. The IRS are colorblind and they view everyone as a suspect. Mr. Snipes has done a bad deed by playing the race card.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Exactly--Snipes playing the race card will backfire on him--IRS is indeed color-blind--I guess when Snipes was caught by the Florida Police doing 135 mph on his bike in the middle of the night and got a ticket, that that was racist too lol--he's nothing but a greedy jerk

 

[miimaa]

Mr. Snipes may be wrong in claiming that racism has influenced his charges, or it may just be something his lawyer wants to try.

HOWEVER, since NONE of us here knows the details, I am at a loss to understand how my fellow posters so confidently declare "race" to be irrelevant in this matter. How the hell would we know?!

IRS officials use considerable personal discretion in filing charges and assessing penalties. Does race sometimes influence their decisions? I don't know. But I see no reason to assume it does not. (And while there may not be a check-box to declare one's race on an IRS form, Mr. Snipes' race is rather well known.)

Oh give me a break!! "Wesley Snipes" may not even be his real name. I doubt agents have a lot of leeway or discretion in filing charges and penalties. Did you ever hear of Willie Nelson and his trouble with the IRS???

 

[Paladin]

Oh give me a break!! "Wesley Snipes" may not even be his real name. I doubt agents have a lot of leeway or discretion in filing charges and penalties. Did you ever hear of Willie Nelson and his trouble with the IRS???

I suspected that it wasn't his real name as well, but I looked it up on Wikipedia and I'm pretty sure it would say if it wasn't. I'm fairly certain it is his real name. Wesley Trent Snipes.

 

[Nova]

Oh give me a break!! "Wesley Snipes" may not even be his real name. I doubt agents have a lot of leeway or discretion in filing charges and penalties. Did you ever hear of Willie Nelson and his trouble with the IRS???

Gee, my CPA says different, but what does he know?

And I'm not claiming that Mr. Snipes was treated differently because he is black. I'm just saying I don't know and neither do the posters here who rush to insist racism can't be a factor.

There are at least two posts above about how the "IRS is color-blind." I'd like to see the evidence of that. True color-blindness is pretty rare in our society.

(ETA: the facts that some white people also have tax problems and some black people do not are not proof that racism never enters into IRS decisions.)