Tough guy – Wesley Snipes – seems to be a bit “chicken” when it comes to his prison sentence. In this case he’s not fighting in a movie, rather he’s fighting for his freedom in real life.
Now if you’re reading this, you probably already know the story…but the short version is – Wesley Snipes thought he was above 
filing and paying his taxes. Yea right! A lot of people think that and they typically get what Wesley got…trouble with the IRS. And, in Wesley’s case – a prison sentence. Three years to be exact for three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file his income tax returns. Now, Wesley did more than that, but when the results came back from the jury – that’s what he was convicted of. Frankly, he’s lucky.
Now it seems that Snipes’ attorneys asked a federal appeals court to review an “unreasonable” three-year prison sentence for the film star, who was convicted a year ago on federal tax charges. Attorneys for the star of the “Blade” trilogy and other films also argued the actor should have been granted a hearing to decide whether his trial should have been in New York instead of Florida.
Snipes was sentenced in April 2008 in what was considered a key victory for prosecutors who aggressively pursued the maximum penalty to deter others from trying to obstruct the IRS. They say he made at least $13.8 million for the years in question and owed $2.7 million in back taxes that he refused to pay.
The decision rests with the three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.
COMMENTS: Now, I’ve stated before that Snipes will spend time in prison and I stand behind that belief. Having been there (yes, time in federal prison for a tax crime – while today I speak to groups about choices and consequences) I know what Snipes is facing. If I were he, I’d do the same thing, but all things being equal – he should just report and get it over with.
EVERY CHOICE HAS A CONSEQUENCE and soon Snipes will face the consequences of his actions and greed. For those who say the tax system is unconstitutional and unfair and illegal… Don’t waste you breath. Failure to comply = prison. Been there and done that. Facts are – those folks who were in prison for tax crimes, become very compliant when they are free. Some battles just aren’t worth fighting.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!
Motivational Speaker - Chuck Gallagher Business Ethics and Choices Expert 
Read your point of view. Fine. The same standard must apply for unreported income on movie ticket sales by movie studios in Hollywood and felony jail time imposed for false corporate financial statements. Thoughts shared. Jan. 19, 2010 about 2:47pm
I agree. The difference between what happens in reality and Wesley Snipes is Snipes flaunted his fraud. Now, for the record, fraud is fraud and every choice has a consequence. But, when you are “in your face” with your actions you can expect “in your face” consequences. As compared to Nicolas Cage – Cage owes more but there is no discussion of prison, rather, Cage accepts his responsibility and is taking actions to rectify his failure. Snipes argued a losing position and the result – prison.
Tax resisters are TRUE Patriots. You talk about responsibility, but to whom? The US Government? They take our money and use it to drop bombs on women and children in Iraq and Afganistan; or give it to people who don’t want to work. I never consented to this. Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God.
this guy work hard in his life fraud his taxes now going to jail?
good luck man.
he is not a thives because he work for that money, he basicly would like just if he can to keep the money he work hard that belong to him that so he belived in his mind but not to defraud the tax collector.
tax should not be resolve by prison time if subject willing to pay the double the fine but not prison time. i support our country but when it goes to tax collection i think they should just double the fine but no prison time. we should be still be able to buy our freedom in double fine, tripled fined or we should start calling them MASTER for the next 3 years. pay the fine of freedom by paying taxes every time no matter what. i pay taxes too for my own freedom. take care.
I personally have spent time in federal prison (50 months) and it’s not at all like people think. I was in prison with Richard Hatch at Morgantown FCI, he received 60 months for Tax fraud, so 36 months is somewhat of a blessing but still, time is time.
After I went to 1/2 way house in August of 2008 people would say Federal Prison is easy and it’s nothing like State prisons. Here’s the bottom line, prison is prison no matter where you are. People that have never been to prison have no idea what it’s like. We had guys come to Morgantown from state prisons all the time that were begging to go back to state.
Wesley, Fight this until the bitter end, no matter what! Don’t lay down for these pricks period! For the guy that wrote the article saying Wesley should turn himself in and just do his time, you’re full of it!
If you know anything about the system you would know everyone tries to appeal there sentence if they can, unfortunately it’s usually while you’re in prison and if you win well tuff, you spent all that time in prison for nothing. Wesley is very fortunate to be out and be able to do this, it takes years for you to get through your appeal and by time he was done with it he would be out of prison if he were to turn himself in now. If he wins or gets a shorter length while out of prison then great, if not then do the time.
Fight these creeps for as long as you can Wesley!
Sincerely,
Tony
Don’t pay your taxes= jail time? Tell that to all those employed at 1600 Pensylvania Ave. Including Timmothy Gikner, the head of the IRS. I read an article the other day that stated that the amount of tax money owed by White House employees alone, runs in the millions. WHY NO JAIL TIME FOR THESE CROOKS???
In America today, more than at any other time in this nation’s history. A persons employment, their success in society, their future, their earnings, their life style, depends much more on who they know. Who they are related to. Who they sleep with, or who they b— and not what they know. If I’m wrong, then why is our nation in the condition it’s in today? The men and women who have the ability and most importantly, the desire to do the jobs so critical to maintaining our quality of life and maintaining America’s ability to exist. Those are the people one the outside, looking in at the corruption that has destroyed America and the American dream. I’m sorry, but long ago, I gave up all hope of America surviving.
He is a great guy.I hope he avoids doing time.Good luck Wesley!!!
May Thunder fire the court that sent Wesley Snipe to prison, he works for his money, while should he be sent to jail for not paying tax? This is crazy, the guy is loved by the whole world, let me say that the judge and that court that sent him to jail are just jealous of him, may God punish the judge and his entire family, foolish people.
Wesley, don’t worry, millions of people are praying for you.
Let’s face it. Wesley Snipes is black, and this is the only reason why he has a 3 year prison sentence and not every other movie star who did something horribly wrong. How about drunk driving time after time again? I’m pretty sure that most white actors and actrices will get off with a warning or penalty they have to pay.
All the race card is an excuse to do wrong man. All the black people in Oakland rioted and stole items from stores after the Police shooting verdict came back in, I would like to see the cops riot every time an officer is killed, hell I could get a free TV, LOL.
Black women don’t care if he’s in jail from now on.
can anybody spell? chuck is an idiot…Ever choice?
Every!
First of all his race has nothing to do with it, that is an old tired excuse that most people ignore now. Snipes is a crook, no doubt, however there is no way that white collar criminals should be imprisoned. Give them the conviction and restitution, prison needs to be for our violent offenders and child molesters!
Don’t think so. Dick Cheney or Bush sent to prison for an illegal election and illegal war, not to mention war crimes, a big yes.
Wesley Snipes.? A big fat no. Then again this is the IRS, one of the most corrupt illegal agencies we have.
[…] https://chuckgallagher.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/tough-guy-wesley-snipes-fighting-to-say-out-of-prison… […]
The IRS is the biggest strong arm crooks ever.
They target big name indivuals.They want to deter others from not reporting there income.
He needs to hire better attorneys.
Google Tom Cryer, Read the case history.
IRS THieves… Judges and Prosocuters for the IRS are Thieves.. Where does you hard earned tax dollars go?
PL
Why can’t they just take taxes out of his check?
He’s not an accountant. He’s a black guy, likely with a limited education growing up. I’m not racist, just honest. Wesley’s a great actor and I liked his movies, but I don’t pick him as my favorite intellectual. He’s a black, black guy. (90’s black guy, not 80’s black)
Well anyway, I am not any safer with him in jail, and I hope he’s at least doing this for something, as he’s not as rich as the Wall Street hustlers that we should really be after.
Westley, you should know better than to act black in white America! You ain’t hustlin nun!
I wish you better than this though.
WESLY IS A GREAT HERO OF THE AMERICAN DREAM,HE’S GROWN FROM GRASS TO GRACE,SEEN IT ALL AND HAD IT ALL.EVEN THOUGH HE’S AT THE PRIME OF HIS CAREER,HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PROFIT FROM THE LAW NOT FIGHT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.ONE THINGS FOR SURE RICH BLACK SUCCESSFUL AMERICANS ARE ALWAYS IN THE EYE OF THE STORM WITH RESPECT TO THE LAW & THAT’S GOTTTA CHANGE
Wes I know a good man a great husband and father to his kids.he took the wrong advice and he got conflict . Jesus said give unto God what belongs to God and give unto Ceasar what is due to him.I say to you should a person go to jail for bad book keeping or account close. He should just have to pay what they say he owes and keep his freedom
I have spent time in prison and its no cake walk no matter what people say. You are housed with people from every walk of life. From lowly drug addicted to the wealthy white collar who went down under an insurance scam. The bottom line is that prison is for felons. Why then was Snipes put in prison for three misdemeanor offenses? I too have met people from federal prisons and they all say the same thing that its easier in state facilities.
There is some truth to the IRS being the bullies on the block but they are not deaf and blind to the human factor. I was able to afford an offer in compromise for the taxes I owed and would otherwise never have been able to pay. This is proof that they will work with you. You must pay these people regardless of the logic you read that states otherwise.
It is also true that the Federal Reserve Bank is not a government agency. It is a private bank. The IRS is the agency that represents the Fed Bank. Here is where the laws get a little fuzzy. If the Federal Reserve is a civilian private business and the IRS is its bureaucratic watch dog, why are the offenses criminal and not civil? The answer to that question is that without leverage the IRS has no teeth. So at some point in the past the IRS was granted the license of a police agency and all of the privilege and power that goes with it. In the late sixties and early seventies there were many books published that described procedures to thwart the IRS and not pay or file income tax. It stated that there was never a law passed that specifically stated that individuals would pay income tax. The income tax was passed in the Roosevelt years providing that corporations and business would pay taxes on its income. The statements were made in these books that at no time did the laws include private individuals.This has caused many people to suffer the wrath of the Beast.
Now that I have ranted I still have to ask one question. What are we going to do about it?
Pay ypur taxes deadbeats!!!! Go live in a third world counntry and discover all of the services you take for granted in the us. If you dont want to pay US taxes then move the hell out !!
Snipes isn’t just dishonest, he’s dumb. His crackpot appeal based on the hokey “861” line is something only somebody in permanent Hollywood suspension of disbelief could think would stand up before a court of law. Reality has finally caught up with him.
US and their greedy system.Instead of catching real criminals , they catch one who worked all his life for that money.I bet there are a ton of other stars who keep their money in swiss banks or some other place safe from the IRS.
Wesly Snipes took care of business! Hem woods is screwing us every day…but don’t get caught! They shred their shit! They think they are above the law! It’ll come back to haunt them real sooon