According to the NY Times today, Snipes remains a Federal fugitive and no deal has been made to drop the tax fraud and conspiracy charges against him. This comes from the U.S. Federal attorney in Florida.

The original story of the “deal” was from Variety and has been cited around the world. According to the article’s author, it was based on interviews with Snipes’ associates, and was NOT verified with Federal authorities.

See the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/business/media/07tax.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1162925869-E8HTK5XPSGkVHJ98vQA78A

My Wesley Snipes Article

“His preparer was known to make illegal deductions,” Clay said. “From what I understand, the IRS checked out his clients and found Wesley Snipes on the list. They picked Snipes to send a message.”

NOW READ THE FULL STORY——-
Also charged with Snipes, star of “White Men Can’t Jump” and the “Blade” movies, were Eddie Ray Kahn, of Sorrento, Fla., and Douglas P. Rosile, of Venice, Fla. The indictment says Kahn, founder of American Rights Litigators and its successor, Guiding Light of God Ministries, promoted and sold fraudulent tax schemes.

Snipes’ arrest shows the importance of using qualified tax preparers and not being duped by people who make a living filing faulty tax returns, said Tim Clay, president of ABC Tax Consultants in Brighton.

“His preparer was known to make illegal deductions,” Clay said. “From what I understand, the IRS checked out his clients and found Wesley Snipes on the list. They picked Snipes to send a message.”

Rosile, a CPA, allegedly prepared fraudulent tax returns for ARL members. The indictment says Kahn and Rosile attempted through dishonest means to make it appear as if Snipes had no liability for federal income taxes when in fact he did.

As part of the scheme, according to the indictment, Kahn and Rosile prepared and filed two amended federal income tax returns for Snipes, fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million for 1996 and 1997 income taxes previously paid. Snipes was also accused of not filing federal income taxes from 1999 through 2004.

J. Wray Pearce, a partner with the Pearce Bevill accounting firm in downtown Birmingham, who has done taxes for 40 years, said it is not unusual for people to not file tax returns, especially those going through life-changing events like divorce, bankruptcy, health problems and loss of a job.

“Criminal investigations are rare and yet you see successful, wealthy people trying to get away with tax schemes perpetrated on IRS because they do not think avoiding income tax is a real crime,” Pearce said. “I have represented many clients who for various personal reasons quit filing and then IRS years later found them and they catch up. When you couple fraudulent deductions and shelters with failure to file, the IRS gets aggressive.”

Like Clay, Pearce thinks the IRS and federal officials are using a high-profile indictment against Snipes “as a showcase to deter others from this behavior.”

I have to say this doesn’t surprise me one bit. There’s no way he was going to give up his career, which has really been picking up steam over the last few years, over this. I am kind of disappointed that the government didn’t take a harsher stance on this but on the other side of the coin I’m happy Snipes will continue working.

Gary Oldman – Scarlet Letter,Lost In Space,The Fifth Element Etc
Johnny Depp – Secret Window,Astronaut’s Wife & Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
Russell Crowe – Quick & The Dead,Proof Of Life & Mystery Alaska
Robert Deniro – Anything from the last decade excluding The Fan (Another one to Snipes’ credit btw),Meet The Parents,Jackie Brown & Ronin

Mdean thanks for mentioning Mo Better Blues. i knew i forgot something!actually think he did steal the show from Denzel IMO.
also adding the brilliant Disappearing Acts & Murder at 1600.

Let’s re-examine things….

Gary Oldman, Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, Russel Crowe, Robert DeNiro… These are actors that should be associated with “excellence.” Wesley Snipes does not belong to this group.

I think Wesley is an excellent actor.

New Jack City
Mo Better Blues (almost steals the movie from Denzel)
Jungle Fever
Blade
White Man Cant Jump