Actor Snipes jailed for three years

Updated 09.32 Fri Apr 25 2008
Keywords: prison, jail, blade, spike lee, tax return, hollywood, wesley snipes

Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes has been sentenced to three years in prison for failing to file tax returns.

The star of the Blade movies got the maximum sentence available under the law, which US prosecutors had recommended.

"I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance" - Wesley Snipes

US Attorney, Robert O'Neill said: "You've got to pay your taxes, I mean rich, poor, it doesn't matter, we all pay our taxes. If you got a dispute with the IRS, contact them and do it through lawful means."

O'Neill added: "The sentencing court sent the right message to the American taxpayer."

He was found guilty in February of failing to file federal income tax returns for 1999-2001. Snipes was acquitted on two felony charges of filing false claims and fraud in seeking millions of dollars of refunds in other tax years.

But prosecutors urged the court to make an example of the actor in a bid to deter others.

Snipes' lawyers said he was only convicted only of three misdemeanours and the US government's tax loss amounted to less than $400,000 (£203,000).

The Hollywood A-lister apologised while reading from a written statement for his "costly mistakes", but never mentioned the word "taxes".

He added: "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance."

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