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Actor Wesley Snipes Charged with Tax Evasion

Actor Wesley Snipes, best known for his appearance in the thrilling ?Blade? movies, was charged this week with conspiracy to defraud the US government?s tax agency, the Internal Revenue Service. Along with two other men, Snipes is being charged with six counts of failure to file taxes in the proper manner. If found guilty on the conspiracy and false claim charges, Wesley Snipes can be sent to prison for up to five years and will need to pay up to $200,000 in fine.

The two other men involved in the incident, Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas Rosile, are charged with founding and running a for-profit, commercial business, the Guilding Light of God Ministries, that sold fraudulent tax schemes. Despite the fact that his license had been revoked, Rosile acted as certified public accountant for the business and prepared fraudulent tax returns for members of the guild. The three are accused of making it appear as if Snipes wasn?t liable to pay federal income taxes.

The 44-year old Snipes hit Hollywood?s screens in 1984 when he appeared with Goldie Hawn in the movie, ?Wildcats?. He then went on to play various other roles, until he made his blockbuster trilogy, ?Blades?. It is difficult to know what prompted Snipes to allegedly attempt tax evasion, especially due to the fact that he made over $12-million in the third and last of the ?Blades? movies. For every charge of failing to file income tax forms, Snipes could also face up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine.