In a motion to dismiss the indictment, Snipes’ attorneys argued that prosecutors filed additional tax evasion charges against him and not against two other defendants because they are “Caucasian, while Mr. Snipes is African-American.”
A federal judge is still considering the motions.
The Oct. 17 indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 for income taxes already paid. The star of the “Blade” trilogy and other films also was charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004.
According to the indictment, his taxes were prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients. The firm American Rights Litigators would receive 20 percent of refunds from clients, according to the indictment.
