Why did Wesley Snipes go to jail?
Some Republicans and conservatives on social media have drawn a comparison between the plea deal offered to Hunter Biden, the son of the president, for tax evasion charges and the case of actor Wesley Snipes.
They argue that Snipes faced prison time for tax evasion while Biden managed to avoid it.
Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, expressed his frustration in a tweet, questioning why evading millions in federal income taxes would result in a lenient punishment and referencing Wesley Snipes’ situation.
Like I said, when Democrats are investigated everything is slow walked and it ends with a slap on the wrist. Don’t believe me? Just look at Hunter Biden.
Three questions:
1. When does evading millions in federal income taxes get a slap on the wrist? (Ask Wesley Snipes)2. Did…
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) June 20, 2023
Talk radio host James Golden, among other right-leaning Twitter users, also joined the chorus in drawing a comparison between Hunter Biden’s plea deal for tax evasion charges and Wesley Snipes’ case.
Golden expressed his opinion on Twitter, suggesting that someone should seek Wesley Snipes’ perspective on Hunter Biden receiving leniency in this matter.
Wesley Snipes went to jail for tax evasion
The renowned actor, known for his roles in 1990s classics such as “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Passenger 57,” and “Blade,” faced legal consequences related to tax evasion.
In 2008, Wesley Snipes was convicted of three misdemeanor counts for failing to file tax returns from 1999 to 2001, leading to an outstanding tax debt of approximately $7 million.
During the trial, Snipes accepted the arguments put forth by his accountant and an anti-tax ideologue.
Throughout the proceedings, Snipes asserted that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was an illegitimate government agency.
He cited an obscure section of the tax code that purportedly stated foreign sources of income for U.S. citizens were taxable, while also claiming to be a non-resident alien.
However, it is worth noting that Snipes was indeed born in the U.S. in 1962.
Following an unsuccessful appeal for a retrial in 2010, Snipes served nearly three years at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania as part of his sentence.
What is Hunter Biden accused of doing?
U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who was initially appointed by former President Donald Trump, has filed a letter in federal court outlining the charges and plea agreement in Hunter Biden’s case.
One of the charges Hunter Biden will plead guilty to is a willful failure to pay federal income tax.
According to court records, it is alleged that he earned over $1.5 million in taxable income during 2017 while residing in Washington, D.C., and owed the federal government over $100,000 in taxes.
He was required to pay these taxes by April 2018 but failed to do so, as stated by federal prosecutors.
The same pattern repeated in 2018 when he earned over $1.5 million and failed to pay taxes by April 2019.
Additionally, Hunter Biden has agreed to enter a pretrial diversion agreement for a gun offense.
He acknowledged the unlawful possession of a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver, despite being addicted to drugs.
According to an unnamed source cited by the Associated Press, the Justice Department is recommending probation for the tax charges.
The diversion program, if successfully completed, could potentially result in the dismissal of the gun charge.
