Wesley Snipes surrendered today to authorities in Florida, nearly two months after a warrant was issued for his arrest on tax fraud charges:
Wearing his signature black sunglasses, a black 2-piece suit and a blue shirt, Snipes walked through the back entrance of the courthouse at 9:30 a.m., escorted by federal agents and a prosecutor. Snipes had an initial appearance and arraignment in front of Magistrate Gary Jones at 10:30 a.m. today. Jones released Snipes on $1 million bond and allowed him to go back to Namibia to complete filming of Gallow Walker, a motion picture Snipes is starring in. The judge ordered that Snipes come back to the states for another appearance on Jan. 10.
No shooting? No explosions? No snappy one liners like "Fraud? This whole damn system's a fraud!" This can't be right. The Wesley Snipes I know and love would never go down without a fight. Or maybe he would. Either way, I'm taking down my "Passenger 57" signed lithograph that I have hanging over my bed. You're dead to me Wesley Snipes, dead to me.
Wesley Snipes has yet to be arrested for tax fraud as he's in Africa shooting an action movie. So claims Edwin Kanguatjivi, who heads the film commission in Namibia, the birthplace of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt - the daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt:
"He is in the country shooting a film called 'Gallowwalker,'" Kanguatjivi said yesterday. "They're in the third week of shooting." As for the feds, they were mum about the "Blade" star's whereabouts.A federal arrest warrant was issued in Florida for the Bronx-raised star on Tuesday after Snipes and two other men were indicted on charges they tried to defraud the government out of $12 million. The 44-year-old actor is accused of failing to file returns from 1999 through 2004. He also allegedly conspired with the two men to file false refund claims based on a bogus argument that only income from foreign sources was subject to taxation.
Wait…Namibia has a film commission? Was I asleep when this happened? That's like Nebraska having a surfing commission or the Amish having an electricity commission. Shouldn't Namibia be more concerned about their lack of paved roads and scarce supply of potable water. And lions—articles about Africa always seems more authentic when you mention lions.
Actor Wesley Snipes was indicted Tuesday, accused of bilking $12 million from the government in false refund claims over the years. Snipes, 44, also failed to file tax returns for six years, according to an indictment unsealed in Tampa, Fla.
Federal prosecutors said Snipes fraudulently claimed the refunds in 1996 and 1997. It also charged him with failure to file returns between 1999 and 2004. According to the indictment, Snipes had his taxes prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients. As part of the deal, the indictment alleges, the firm, American Rights Litigators, would receive 20 percent of refunds from clients. Snipes faces a maximum of 16 years in prison.
Give the poor guy a break. So the government can't build an extra road or some dumb bridge doesn't get finished....who cares! How you can prosecute a guy that's provided so many minutes of entertainment to his tens of fans worldwide?
According to my well-placed sources within the IRS, investigators became suspicious when Snipes tried to write of such things as his "intensity" and "intimidating presence."
