Court upholds actor Wesley Snipes tax evasion conviction
The federal appeals court in Atlanta on Friday upheld tax evasion convictions against actor Wesley Snipes.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also said it was not unreasonable for a federal judge to give Snipes, 47, the maximum sentence: three years in prison.
Snipes was convicted in Ocala, Fla., during a 2008 trial of three misdemeanor counts of failing to file taxes from 1999 through 2001. He was found to owe about $17 million in back taxes, penalties and interest.
Snipes, who has been allowed to remain free on bond pending his appeal, starred in movies such as the "Blade" vampire trilogy, "White Men Can't Jump," "Demolition Man" and "U.S. Marshals."
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
