288 years for tax evasion??? ridiculous , huh???

Question

Kent Hovind was just found guilty of Tax evasion and now they might send him too jail for life, 288 years, just for tax evasion. It's rediculous, just for tax evasion. Some commit murder and only get 15 years. what do you think?

thttp://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps...

Answer 1

Your link is broken. But Wikipedia has got there already, and the facts are all set out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Hovind

It is wildly improbable that Hovind's cadaver will serve 288 years in jail. But he has become an IRS poster boy for the attack on peddlers of tax schemes who claim that the Internal Revenue Code was never constitutionally (or otherwise) promulgated, that the payment of income tax is "voluntary". or that it only applies to income from the District of Columbia or from the federal government, etc.

The Wiki article is somewhat misleading when it says that Hovind's church doesn't depend on IRC 501(c)(3) since unlike other charitable entities, churches don't have to register to be exempt, and for contributions to them to be deductible. Still, Hovind, a grander sort of tax-ignoring minister than the late Kirby James Hensley (Universal Life Church, 1960s-70s; but the ULC lives on in many forms and branches and clones), seems to have bothered them by tele-evangelizing his anti-tax theology. To the degree that he probably fell within the scope of the anti-tax shelter as well as the outright tax fraud laws and regulations.

He seemingly renounced his US citizenship, but didn't follow the proper method. One has to be abroad and to make a declaration on State Department forms before a consul; and the renunciation is then published in the Federal Register: http://www.frissell.com/taxpat/taxpats.html

Others have preceded him in this effort, some with greater success, some equally flippantly but with less harm to themselves: http://tinyurl.com/yxt855 (Norman F. Dacey)

Forbes Magazine has published a whole series of articles on tax expatriation, and indeed the publicity it gave to a few cases resulted in the "Expatriation to Avoid Tax" law published by Congress. Here's one such article: http://www.forbes.com/travel/2004/04/15/cx_cv_0415feat.html

One can't be extradited for tax evasion (although it's possible to be extradited and tried for money laundering and wire fraud, etc. if these are included crimes -- but the doctrine of "specialty" would prevent trial even then on the tax charges). On the other hand, even a pardon won't end liabiilty for unpaid tax and civil penalties or state tax evasion prosecution: this is why Marc Rich will never return to the USA, even though pardoned by Clinton. (But now he can't be extradited from, say, the UK.)

But as for Hovind, it's all to "encourager les autres": to send a message to others. And, no doubt, to put a further lid on the use of a church wrapper for profitmaking business and personal expenses. Also, long prospective sentences facilitate for the government the negotiation of a guilty plea and an agreed sentence proposal to the judge.

Answer 2

Sounds like a matter of mandatory minimums, but neither would apply for a normal tax case.

Tax evasion itself is covered by 26 USC 7201, and carries a maximum penalty of five years per count. Tax fraud is covered under 26 USC 7206, and carries a maximum penalty of three years per count. Neither has a mandatory minimum.

So, if the prosecution is claiming 288 years, either the person is being indicted under some other statute than tax crimes, or just blowing smoke for the news reporter.

Answer 3

He did have over 55 counts against him but the sentencing is not over so that 288 number is not for sure. If He comes to his senses and agrees to pay the taxes maybe the sale of his Adventure land could pay for the owed taxes and he could get a very reduced sentence. He had great knowledge but poor character. I pray he repents.

Answer 4

You are comparing apples to oranges....
Copies from a news article...just some of it.....

Kent Hovind, who often calls himself “Dr. Dino,” has been sparring with the IRS for at least 17 years on his claims that he is employed by God, receives no income, has no expenses and owns no property.

“The debtor apparently maintains that as a minister of God, everything he owns belongs to God and he is not subject to paying taxes to the United States on money he receives for doing God’s work,” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Lewis Killian Jr. wrote when he dismissed a claim from Hovind in 1996.

n the indictment unsealed Thursday, a grand jury alleges that Kent Hovind failed to pay $473,818 in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes on employees at his Creation Science Evangelism/Ministry between March 31, 2001, and Jan. 31, 2004.

The indictment also says the Hovinds’ made cash withdrawals from AmSouth Bank in a manner that evaded federal requirements for reporting cash transactions.

The withdrawals were for $9,500 or $9,600, just below the $10,000 starting point for reporting cash transactions.

Hope they kill this loser in jail for taking ADVANTAGE of EVERYONE AROUND him in the name of GOD lmao.

Answer 5

OMG! murders, rapists, and child molesters should get more time than someone who commited tax evasion!

Answer 6

Blame on our corrupt and injustice justice system.I doesn't make sense,yet neither do the men and women in change of enforcing the laws......Tom Science 3

Answer 7

Yikes. Yeah, that's pretty retarded.

Never mind the people who serial kill, rape little kids, and producers of child pornography, we gotta get those people who evade taxes! Heaven forbid the government doesn't get its money for asinine things! If you can't tell, that was sarcasm...

Answer 8

Can anyone tell me what sense it makes to sentence ANYONE to anything over 100 years? The IRS is a bully.

Answer 9

While your at it, remember that counterfeiting has a 96% conviction rate.

You simply cannot be messing with the Man's money.

Answer 10

Even Skilling isn;t doing that much time