November 21, 2006 @ 2:31 pm

Wesley Snipes Says He's a Scapegoat

by: Mariel Concepcion

"It appears I'm to be the scapegoat, because there's more public interest in `celebrities gone bad' than `rich people being taken advantage of,'" Snipes wrote last weekend in an e-mail to Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell according to the Associated Press. right "I will abide by the law, seek the protections the law affords me and, as always, seek the advice of competent council in effort to resolve this issue," Snipes, who is reportedly in Namibia filming a movie, wrote to the columnist. "I'm not running, I'm not a fugitive, despite the misrepresentations in the press." An Oct. 17 indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 on income taxes already paid. The star of the "Blade" trilogy and other films was also charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004. According to the indictment, Snipes had his taxes prepared by American Rights Litigators, a firm with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients while receiving 20 percent of refunds. "There is no deal that has been worked out," U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Steve Cole said Monday. "The only thing we have discussed is coming back to face the charges." If convicted, Snipes, 44, faces up to 16 years in prison.

• See Star Galleries: Juelz Santana, Trina, Black Eyed Peas and Rihanna, Jamie Foxx, Jermaine Dupri, Ashanti and more.



• Get free daily email and mobile alerts from VIBE.com.



• Subscribe and save $36 on VIBE Magazine



• Have a news tip? Email us



• Read more vibe.com news headlines.

Article tags: Wesley Snipes 

del.icio.us digg Furl Reddit YahooMyWeb

Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/11/wesley_snipes_says_hes_a_scapegoat/

Return to previous page