Just weeks before Christmas, Wesley Snipes is in the news again.
Two months after being indicted for tax fraud and failing to file tax returns, Snipes is back from filming a movie, and he’s pleading not guilty. Star of the “Blade” trilogy and other films, Wesley Snipes was charged with failure to file tax returns from 1999 through 2004 and for filing fraudulent tax returns.
If he is found guilty on all charges, he could face up to 16 years in prison.
According to the indictment, and news reports, Snipes had his taxes filed by accountants that have a history of filing false returns. According to a CNN report; “We believe the evidence in the case will show he has been the victim of unscrupulous tax advice. And this trial will help vindicate him,” said Billy Martin, Snipes’ lawyer.
Tax evasion in the form of unfiled tax returns and falsely filed tax returns is an escalating concern, and the offenders are not just those in celebrity income brackets. Americans fail to report more than a trillion dollars income annually. Canadians don’t fare much better. According to tax lawyer Paul DioGuardi, tax evasion by Canadians adds up to about $100 billion per year.
If you have failed to file tax returns, there are three lessons to be learned from the Snipes case:
- Failing to file tax returns is not an oversight; it is a criminal offense.
- No matter who you are, you will eventually appear on the TaxMan’s radar.
- When dealing with a criminal offense, you need the protection and counsel of a tax lawyer, not a tax accountant.
The DioGuardi AmnestyRx solution can clean up your tax problem with no criminal prosecution and no financial penalties, and guarantees you the full protection of lawyer-client confidentiality.