Wesley Snipes Settles with IRS...No Jail (update)

From Variety:

The weird world of Wesley Snipes has taken another twist. Seems that the fugitive "Blade" and "Passenger 57" star has reached a settlement with the IRS concerning his tax fraud charges.

Agreement will likely see Snipes surrender to federal authorities when he next returns to the U.S. In return for agreeing to a payment plan, Snipes will not be jailed and will be allowed both to continue working and to travel abroad.

According to the Oct. 17 indictment, Snipes used the tax packages of two men he was indicted with to unsuccessfully claim nearly $12 million in refunds for taxes he paid in 1996 and 1997. Snipes had his taxes prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients, reports said.

One of the men, Eddie Ray Kahn, was skedded to appear in federal court in Florida on Wednesday. Kahn was detained in Panama on Tuesday and flown back to Florida.

Snipes is in Namibia shooting "Gallowwalker," a horror pic by helmer Andrew Goth. "We are happy that he continues to turn up on set each day. If his indictment creates this amount of press it shows he is a star," said Gary Smith, CEO of the pic's Blighty financier and sales agent. Smith said that he will be meeting Thursday with pic's financiers and completion bond provider. "We do have a bond on the pic, though it will probably have certain exceptions."

After "Gallowwalker," Snipes is next skedded to appear in "Chasing the Dragon," in which he plays an FBI agent in Asia on the tail of a drug lord. Pic, backed by Hannibal Pictures and Double Edge Entertainment, is on course to shoot from January, with French helmer Chris Nahon ("Empire of the Wolves," "Kiss of the Dragon") in the director's chair.

"We are thrilled that he may have settled. If he owes money it makes no sense to lock him up," said a source close to "Dragon."

Richard Rionda, chairman and CEO of Hannibal, said that the settlement will allow Snipes to go ahead with the $15 million-$16 million "Dragon." It will begin a nine-week shoot in Thailand in mid-January. "Everyone from IFG to the bank are all a little anxious."

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

He will be in exile for the rest of his life. It is sad he had to make such stupid decisions.

 

That dude needs to bring his triflin ass home[America]. But then again, if he does, he faces more than 5 years in jail if convicted guilty on all charges.

 

Granted he was dead wrong. But I would not bring my ass back either,he can live like a king for the rest of his days screw doing anytime in anyone's prison. He probably would get raped and killed why take the risk if you can run run.

 

Namibia is willing to grant Wes instant citizenship because he's an African American. Wes is facing 16 years in the federal pen b/c of tax fraud & tax evasion. If he returns to the US, he will face a long and expensive court battle against the IRS with an uncertain outcome.

Now tell me, what would you do????

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

It's time for him to cut all of this BS out, just pay off the damn government, and then go live whereever the hell he was to live, in any part of the world. (that he can actually live and survive in, of course)

 

You don't get it....the IRS/US Atty wants to put Wes in prison for up to 16 yrs. It ain't about payin' them money. It's about tax fraud.

More on Wes:

Wesley Snipes was spotted in Swakopmund, Namibia posing with a local artist in a gym recently, as the actor avoids the long arm of US justice in the African nation, whether intentionally or not. The "Blade" star also signed another photo that he took with the artist with the following inscription: "From one great artist to another ... long life and bright light, Wesley Snipes."The next bright light Snipes faces, of course, might be that of U.S. marshals seeking his arrest, as he is wanted here on charges of tax fraud. Joanne Reay, one of the producers of "Gallowwalker," the film on which Snipes is working in Nambia, told the Associated Press today, "As far as we understand, Wesley is not going to be arrested in Namibia." What's more, Snipes is expected to stay in Namibia until December.

According to Reay, Snipes is not staying at the same luxurious lodge at which Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed when Jolie was pregnant and gave birth to their daughter Shiloh Nouvel this summer.

Pic of Wes in Namibia:

http://www.hater site.com/uploaded_images/snipes in africa1-793670.jpg

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

More on Wes in Namibia here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6079654.stm

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

Stay there Wes. All they are going to do is parade that brother around in handcuff like a prized kill,but what about his wife and kids?

 

His whole family is with him in Namibia.

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

Trust me, i'd stay there and live like a freaking king, especially if i can afford to. I ain't doing 16 years. :lol:

Also, if he agrees to pay the $12 million now, would they just drop the whole thing?

 

Nope. The IRS wants his head.

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

Oh snap!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

He's lucky he happened to be out of the country filming a movie when they decided to come after him.

I guess being quasi-blacklisted to working overseas worked out for him after all. If he'd been shooting in L.A. he'd be screwed.

 

Werd it's best he stay gone. He'll be safe overseas.

 

If he's guilty of this, then this won't be the last time we'll hear about it...

and, I was under the impression that he wasn't paying his taxes at all, but this story claims that he fradulently filed them instead. In this case, since there isn't any evidence that he did file his taxes fraudulently, he should stay in Namibia where he can live it up like the movie superstar he is.

 

I guess that why he is making so many crappy movies of late.

 

bump.

 

Good I would have hated to have seen that brother locked up.

 

I'm sorry, doesn't the article say that he will turn himself over but do no jail time, and continue to be able to work abroad, if he sticks to a payment plan? Doesn't sound like exile to me.