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Wesley Snipes to Go on Trial in Tax Case
Wesley Snipes earned $38 million appearing in more than half a dozen movies, including two sequels to his popular vampire thriller “Blade.”

The taxes he paid in the same period? Zero.

But unlike other celebrities who find themselves on the wrong side of the Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Snipes has a flamboyant explanation: he argues that he is not actually required to pay taxes.

Mr. Snipes, who is scheduled to go on trial Monday in Ocala, Fla., has become an unlikely public face for the antitax movement, whose members maintain that Americans are not obligated to pay income taxes and that the government extracts taxes from its citizens illegally.

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The stretch limousine pulled in front of the W Hotel Honolulu on a sultry night in early February 2005, immediately catching the attention of several people waiting outside.

Many scanned the tinted windows to see which NFL celebrity would appear next at a swanky Pro Bowl week party, but they were instantly surprised when the driver opened the door. Ten young black men exited the car, all rowdy, clearly disoriented and completely unfamiliar to the other patrons. In fact, it wasn't until the final man stepped into the night that the guests understood who invited this motley crew. Once Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick appeared, everything made a little more sense.

Vick already had become known for his entourage, but what unsettled people on this night was the utter disinterest Vick had for how his friends handled themselves publicly. As one NFL player present that night said, "Vick didn't seem to care how it looked. And it wasn't like there was a small group of people [looking on]. There were about 50 people out there waiting to go into this place. You could see it in their faces. We were all wondering what this guy was thinking."

If Michael Vick didn't understand the significance of how things can look to the public that night, he should clearly grasp the relevance of such matters today. No longer is he the superstar quarterback who feels comfortable doing whatever he pleases. He is now the face of a federal case involving a grisly dogfighting ring, a player so deep in trouble that he might never play another game in Atlanta. And what may be apparent today is that his current plight resulted from the same type of flawed decision making that led him to roll through that Pro Bowl party with little concern for his image.

In the end, that's what this entire fiasco with the 27-year-old Vick comes down to: his lousy choices. He's been counseled to make smart decisions from the moment he was destined for superstardom, but somewhere along the way, Vick either stopped listening or started believing that wisdom was something that poorer, less-talented people needed. That's the only way to explain why he didn't join his Atlanta Falcons teammates when they opened training camp Thursday. Instead, he was with three associates -- Purnell Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor -- in a federal courtroom in Richmond, Va., where they were arraigned on charges that they housed and trained dogs for dogfighting on a property owned by Vick in Surry County, Va.

Michael Vick, shown Thursday in Richmond, Va., may be facing his greatest challenge.

Though Vick has refused to comment publicly since his indictment July 17, this latest news only revives the most obvious question that has hovered over him for the past few months: How could one of the NFL's biggest stars be so dumb?

"It really is a sad state of affairs," said former Falcons head coach Dan Reeves, the man who drafted Vick first overall in the 2001 draft and coached him until Reeves' dismissal in 2003. "In the three years I spent around Mike, you couldn't have asked for a better guy. He worked hard. He prepared well. He listened. I never had any indication that he could be around this stuff."

That tends to be a common response from some of the people who've interacted with Vick, especially those who knew him in his younger days. The problem, however, is that Vick's career has been falling apart over the past 12 months, mostly because he's behaved in ways that mystify the same supporters he once impressed with his skills and potential. In fact, the same Michael Vick they say is so bighearted and generous is the person listed in an 18-page indictment so brutal that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, "From the moment you read it, it turns your stomach."

What really amazes me about this story -- aside from the gruesome nature of the accusations -- is how poorly kept Vick's secret was. One agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, says he heard the whispers when he pursued Vick as a client shortly after Vick fired his old agent, Andre Colona, in 2004 (Vick currently is represented by Joel Segal). When the unnamed agent ran background checks on Vick, the agent's confidant told him he'd have a hard time tracking Vick down. When the agent asked why, the confidant said, "Because he's out in the woods fighting those dogs."

Vick also gave an indication of future problems during an April 2001 Sporting News article. In the story, which ran a few weeks before Atlanta drafted Vick, writer Paul Attner details Vick's researching pit bulls on the Internet and openly admitting that he had "a budding breeding kennel" in the works. "There's more to me than people might think," Vick said in the story. Those words couldn't be any more appropriate six years later, although it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when Vick's career started heading in the wrong direction.

It's not as if he hasn't had guidance. One of the closest people in his life is a man named James "Poo" Johnson, a mentor who works as assistant chief executive officer of the Boys and Girls Club in Vick's hometown of Newport News, Va. Johnson advised Vick to make smart decisions about the friends he kept in his inner circle.

"Michael is loyal to his friends, sometimes to a fault," Johnson said. "Sometimes that [attitude] can create extra baggage that you never anticipated."

Vick received similar advice when he starred at Virginia Tech, where he impressed people with his character.

"He had a charismatic personality," said former Hokies offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle, who now serves as head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette. "If you put him in a crowd, people would always gravitate to him."

Unfortunately, that became Vick's problem in the NFL. He was always the caretaker for his old friends from Newport News, the man who eased their lives with his millions. He'd buy them throwback jerseys. He'd shower them with tickets to games. It all sounded nice at first, but it's clear Vick placed too much faith in the wrong people. Reeves experienced this firsthand during Vick's rookie season, when Newport News police arrested Vick's cousin, who had been driving a car registered to Vick. Reeves later explained to Vick that he had to be mindful of how such incidents played out publicly. He said his quarterback listened. Now, it's apparent Vick didn't pay close enough attention.

For example, two of Vick's closest pals were Philips and Taylor, both of whom had served prison time (Phillips for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and Taylor, on a two-year stint, for drug trafficking in New York). Also, in March 2005, the Washington Post reported that a screener at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport claimed a companion of Vick's stole his watch from a security X-ray belt. If those things sounded bad, Vick's 2006 season was even worse.

Along with flipping off fans during a home loss to New Orleans in November, Vick made headlines two months later when officials at Miami International Airport stopped him for carrying a water bottle with a suspicious compartment through security. Though Vick was later cleared after police initially suspected the bottle contained a residue of marijuana, the damage had been done. His critics didn't want to hear about his success (his two Pro Bowl nominations and two postseason appearances had prompted the Falcons to reward him with a 10-year, $137 million contract in December 2004). They only saw an immature celebrity who couldn't grow up.

That really is the sad thing about Vick at the moment. Before this latest incident, all of his trouble could be filed under the category of silliness. It all could have been avoided with more forethought. Clearly, he couldn't provide that for himself. And while the Falcons claim they didn't coddle him -- "We've been very firm with Michael in terms of what we expect," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said during Tuesday's news conference - the fact is they did exactly that.

So now that Vick is facing the scariest challenge of his life, all the people around him can only wonder why he didn't listen more intently to their advice.

"I look at the three guys who are in this with him and I think he has to know better," Reeves said. "He should've been as far away from them as possible."

Of course, Vick will be linked with Peace, Phillips and Taylor for the foreseeable future. Long gone are the days when Vick could look at such friends and ponder ways to enjoy his money. Now, he must wonder how the federal prosecutors will lean on each one, and who is going to break under the pressure.

As usual, Michael Vick is stepping onto center stage. And as always, everybody will be watching to see what happens next.

"He might come out of this," Reeves said. "But the reality is that it doesn't look good."

Jeffri Chadiha is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

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Richmond - Two high-profile attorneys entered the picture Thursday in the dogfighting case being built against Michael Vick.

William Robert "Billy" Martin, a Washington, D.C. lawyer, and Daniel Ray "Meach" Meachum, an Atlanta attorney, filed paperwork in U.S. District Court to represent Vick, a Newport News native and quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons.

Martin's clients have included former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and her mother, and the parents of slain Washington intern Chandra Levy.

Most recently, Martin and Meachum represented actor Wesley Snipes in a tax fraud case.

"They're high-profile lawyers have have been involved in some controversial cases," said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor. "He's putting together his defense team."

Vick and three co-defendants - Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, pleaded not guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Richmond to conspiracy charges related to a dogfighting operation they're accused of running at property Vick owns in Surry County.

They were indicted on July 17, and a trial date is set for 9:30 a.m. Nov 26.

Martin is a partner with Sutherland Asbill and Brennan LLP. A former federal prosecutor and senior official at the U.S. Department of Justice, he has been in private practice since 1990.

Martin has served as an adviser to the NBA and NFL players associations and has represented corporate executives, entertainers, politicians and professional athletes, according to his firm's Web site, sabloaw.com.

He has represented Iverson, former Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards) players Juwan Howard and Rod Strickland and boxer Riddick Bowe. He also represented former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell in his public corruption trial.

"I think these are people who handle these cases all the time, more so than Woodward," Tobias said.

"Maybe it's better to have three heads than one in a high-profile, difficult case."

Law offices for Meachum and Martin did not return calls seeking comment on the case.

Staff researcher Tracy Sorensen contributed to this report.

Michael Vick's high-profile legal team must master public-relations challenges, as much as legal hurdles, in the NFL star's potentially career-ending trial on federal dogfighting charges.

"Obviously, it's a nightmare," said lawyer Mark J. Geragos, who represents Barry Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson, who's in prison for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating Bonds' alleged perjury. "Probably the biggest thing you've got to do is focus on the client and, as best you can, prepare them for going through something like this."

That will be the responsibility of Billy Martin of Washington, D.C., who will lead Vick's legal team. His previous clients have included Monica Lewinsky and the parents of slain Washington intern Chandra Levy. He and another member of the team, Daniel R. Meachum of Atlanta, also have represented actor Wesley Snipes.

Other members of the team are James D. "Butch" Williams of Durham, N.C.; and Lawrence H. Woodward Jr. and Thomas B. Shuttleworth II, both of Virginia Beach. Those three also have represented celebrity clients, including a number of professional athletes.

In addition to dealing with the usual hoopla associated with celebrity cases, Vick's team must counteract the public outrage sparked by the gruesome details outlined in the 18-page indictment against Vick, legal experts say.

Passions were inflamed by allegations that the dogfighting ring executed underperforming pit bulls by drowning, hanging, electrocution and other brutal means.

"Second to injuring children, injuring pets is the worst," said Harland W. Braun, a Los Angeles attorney who has represented actor Robert Blake and other celebrities. "It's hard to know how to spin it."

Sometimes, he said, public relations almost overshadows the legal aspect of a case -- particularly when the defendant's career could be in jeopardy regardless of the outcome.

In the three months since investigators discovered evidence of a dogfighting operation on Vick's property in rural Surry County, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback has gone from one of the NFL's most popular players to the public face of a brutal and illegal bloodsport -- even though prosecutors have yet to present any evidence against him.

Vick was lustily jeered and booed by protesters when he arrived Thursday at the federal courthouse in Richmond, where he pleaded not guilty and was released without bond.

"Anytime you have this kind of negative public reaction, it makes it more challenging," Geragos said. "You have to do something to try to stop the bleeding."

In a statement read by Martin outside the courthouse, Vick pleaded with the public to resist a rush to judgment. The backlash seems to indicate the appeal is too late.

"The public has already tried him in the media," Geragos said.

Vick got more bad news Friday when Nike announced it has suspended his contract and will pull products with his name off the shelves at company stores. And Reebok, the official uniform supplier of the NFL, also said it would stop selling Vick's replica jersey at retail stores and through its Web site.

Alan M. Dershowitz, a Harvard School of Law professor and lawyer whose clients have included O.J. Simpson and boxer Mike Tyson, said courts "are subject to the power of public opinion."

But he said Vick needs more than damage control.

"What Vick needs is a sophisticated legal defense, including a constitutional attack on the statute in this case," Dershowitz said.

Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University Law School professor, said the hiring of a legal "dream team" carries the risk of internal conflict.

"There has to be a single lead attorney," he said. "Criminal defense attorneys are notorious for being lone wolves. It's sometimes difficult for well-known celebrity defense attorneys to work together for a coherent defense."

Williams, one of the members of Vick's team, said that won't be a problem in this case.

"I don't foresee any of that," he said. "There is not a whole lot of big egos."

He referred additional questions to Martin, who did not return a phone message.

Among the issues the defense is facing is the prosecution's promise of a superseding indictment to be issued in August. The indictment could add additional charges or defendants, or it could drop some defendants. Three men charged along with Vick have pleaded not guilty.

Federal prosecutors have declined to talk about the case.

Vick's two-week trial is scheduled for Nov. 26. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

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Richmond, Va. -- Michael Vick drew a loud response -- both cheers and jeers -- as he was escorted by U.S. marshals into the Lewis F. Powell federal courthouse shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday.

He entered a plea of not guilty to the dogfighting charges that have jeopardized his future with the Falcons and the NFL.

Vick's appearance here -- his second since the dogfighting indictment -- drew a phalanx of news cameras across the street from the building.

It also drew animal-rights protesters, who police restricted to a gated area across the street from the courthouse and who appeared to greatly outnumber a smaller group of Vick supporters.

Early Thursday, protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals lined up in front of the federal courthouse with Michael Vick protest signs and solemn faces. One sign, bearing a picture of a scarred pit bull, read, "Prosecute all DogFighters. Justice for All Victims."

"We are just going to be peaceably demonstrating about this issue, sending a message to the federal government that people want to see this case prosecuted vigorously," said Dan Shannon, PETA's assistant director.

"We don't want to lose sight that Michael Vick is not the end of the problem.

"There are a lot of people who aren't as famous that are involved in this sort of thing and they also need to see their day in court eventually."

Three loud Falcons fans, who drove down from Boston, came to counter the protesters. One held a sign that read "PETA = Hypocrites." Another held one that said, "Let Vick Play."

"There are a lot of serious allegations, but he hasn't been proven guilty yet," said Michael Geary, 21. "He's innocent until proven guilty, so why are they not letting him play? Let him play. Let him ride this out himself.

"He's not a Pacman Jones. He's not out shooting people."

Geary said he's been a Falcons fan "since they got Michael Vick."

The courtroom was packed with about 100 people, including Vick's mother, Brenda Boddie, and former Falcons and Virginia Tech teammate Keion Carpenter.

The media, some arriving as early at 6 a.m., spent the day jockeying for prime positions. Most were sent to an overflow room that held 200 people and showed the proceedings on closed-circuit television.

Behind the courthouse, 27 media vehicles -- including WSB, CNN, Fox News, WJLA (Washington), ESPN and WDBJ (Roanoke, Va.) -- lined the streets.

One local radio show, The Morning Sludge on Y101, had three cast members broadcasting live while dressed in dog suits.

Also on hand in the crowd outside: John P. Goodwin, the deputy manager of animal fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States.

"The intensity of the crowd and media here really demonstrates that this has struck a chord with the American public," Goodwin said. "This is a culture where dogs are considered best friends and family members and not a culture where we tolerate fighting dogs to the death."

Cathy Coulter and two friends were at the front of the line to get into the courtroom. Coulter, a Richmond area high school teacher, said ESPN was paying her and her friends $150 each to hold their spots in line. The Associated Press paid $50 for individuals to hold their spot.

"This is really exciting. I have never been a part of anything like this," Coulter said.

Animal rights activists have called on the Falcons to suspend or fire Vick. Vick's critics have set up a Web site to get him fired: www.kickvick.com.

Some have called for a boycott of Nike until it scraps its endorsement contract with Vick and have even set up a Web site www.boycottnikenow.com. Two days after Vick was indicted, Nike suspended the release of its latest product bearing his name ‰ÛÓ the Zoom Vick ‰ÛÓ a shoe that had been scheduled to hit stores next month.

Vick's legal and media relations team had met at a local steakhouse here Wednesday night, plotting strategy for the hearing.

Vick, who didn't arrive in Richmond until Thursday, has hired Collins Spencer III, formerly of CNN, to help him deal with the press. He also has added at least one more lawyer to his legal team: Daniel Meachum, an attorney from Atlanta.

Meachum met Thursday night with Spencer and another Vick attorney, Billy Martin, of Washington. The quarterback is also being represented by his longtime lawyer, Lawrence H. Woodward Jr.

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Overscene
"Training Day" actor Denzel Washington and "Blade" action star Wesley Snipes enjoying a late dinner at Bluepointe in Buckhead, along with 14 friends and business associates. We're told the movie stars dined on appetizers and steaks whipped up personally by Bluepointe executive chef Doug Turbush. The dinner was hosted by Buckhead Life Restaurant Group regular Daniel Meachum. The table also enjoyed samples of pastry chef Lisa Smith's chai tea crème brûlée and palm sugar panna cotta. Afterward, the group hung in the eatery's lounge area, where a few overly enthusiastic fans were politely kept at bay by Bluepointe managers.

There's no doubt about it: Taxes suck. Everyone fudges a little, but some people go to extremes, searching the fine print for loopholes that ultimately exist only in their imagination. This past December, Wesley Snipes surrendered to police in Orlando after the IRS accused the actor of claiming nearly $12 million in fraudulent refunds between 1999 and 2004. Snipes relied on an interpretation of the regulations that created Section 861 of the federal tax code to argue that any citizen who works for a U.S. company is exempt from income tax. You hadn't heard? So many scofflaws have cited repeatedly discredited legal arguments such as this that judges have taken to fining their lawyers. Here are a few others.

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By Rodney Ho | Thursday, March 1, 2007, 05:54 PM
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Crystal "CJ" Simpson, who spent four years at Hot 107.9 doing mostly on-air and off-air street promotion for the morning show, won a battle Thursday with her former employer which clears the way for her to work at 95.5/The Beat. According to her attorney Daniel Meacham, Fulton County Judge Wendy Shoob Thursday deemd CJ's six-month noncompete clause in her contract null and void partly because it was attached to a nondisclosure agreement that didn't use the same time frame. That's a technicality, but in Meacham's mind, it was a poorly written contract and the nondisclosure issue wasn't applicable to an on-air personality. In fact, CJ's contract wasn't even in force when she left Feb. 2 because it ended Nov. 30, 2006. She worked at Hot for two more months under no contract at all. She said they didn't attempt to re-sign her at all. So she hunted for another job and the Beat called. Beat Program Director Lee Cagle offered her a job as co-morning host at 95.5/The Beat with Murph Dawg. That would have been a big step up for her. When CJ left Hot Feb. 2, she said Hot management told her they would not stop her from improving her career elsewhere. But a few days after she left, she received a letter from Hot saying the station would try to enforce her six-month noncompete after all. Appalled, she got her attorney to fight them and won. "If I had known they were going to enforce it, I wouldn't have resigned," she said. After the letter, Cox withdrew their offer to CJ, but she's now talking again with the Beat. Cagle declined to comment Thursdsay afternoon. Unless the Beat has found someone else, I expect CJ will be on the Beat soon Her former boss Wayne Brown at Hot 107.9 hasn't returned a call. CJ said she knew this was all about business and she remains close to not only her former boss and mentor Ryan Cameron, now at V-103, but the "A" Team she left at Hot, including Akini, Beyonce, Griff and Rashan. "I love each and every one of them," she said. "Business is business and family is family." During this month of waiting, the already toned CJ said she has spent three hours a day working out and she's been spending extra time in church. Now she's just ready to get to work.

The actor Wesley Snipes, a fugitive for the last two months, while shooting a movie in Namibia, surrendered to federal officials in Florida yesterday and pleaded guilty to charges of tax fraud and conspiracy. According to his indictment, by a federal grand jury in Tamp, Fla., Mr. Snipes failed to file tax returns from 1999 to 2004, and falsely claimed almost $12 million in refunds for 1996 and 1997. He arrived in Orlando, Fla., yesterday and was arraigned in Ocala, according to the office of the United States attorney for Central Florida. Mr. Snipes was freed on $1 million in bail. Magistrate Judge Gary R. Jones ordered him released pending trial and gave him permission to return to Africa to finish his new movie, "Gallowwalker." A trial is set for March, and Mr. Snipes is required to return to the United States and surrender his passport by Jan. 10. "I look forward to clearing my name and resolving the issue post-haste," he said after the hearing, The Associated Press Reported. A federal warrant was issued for Mr. Snipes's arrest in October. Two Florida men, Eddie R. Kahn and Douglas P. Rosile, were indicted along with Mr. Snipes on charges of conspiracy and of preparing fraudulent tax returns.

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Wesley Snipes arrested over tax charges Fri Dec 8, 2006 9:43 PM GMT By Barbara Liston ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Actor Wesley Snipes pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges he illegally claimed millions of dollars in tax refunds and was allowed to quickly return to an African movie set, U.S. prosecutors. A Florida court released Snipes, who starred in the vampire-hunter movie series "Blade", on a $1 million (510,000 pounds) bond and allowed him to return to Namibia where he is filming the horror western "Gallowwalker". He must return to the United States and surrender his passport by January 10 with a trial date in March, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement. Snipes arrived on Friday morning by private jet from Namibia in southern Africa to Orlando International Airport in Florida, where he was arrested and taken to Ocala for an initial court appearance. He then returned to the airport and held a news conference. His lawyers said he was due to fly back to Namibia via the Bahamas later in the day. "I look forward to vindicating myself and clearing my name," Snipes, who looked relaxed and wore a suit and tinted glasses, told reporters. One of his lawyers, Daniel Meachum, told the news conference: "Mr Snipes was a victim of tax advisors."

IRS arrests Wesley Snipes for tax fraud By Pedro Ruz Gutierrez The Orlando Sentinel (MCT) OCALA, Fla. - Real-life drama seems to hound Wesley Snipes. Four years ago, a former prostitute and crack addict falsely accused him of fathering her child. The next year, in 2003, the Hollywood action star claimed someone forged his signature on a $700,000 mortgage loan on his foreclosed Isleworth, Fla., home. This year, the talent company that represented him in blockbuster films sued for unpaid movie commissions. Two months ago, the Orlando, Fla., native was indicted on charges of conspiring to defraud the IRS out of millions and failing to file income-tax returns. And Friday, the jet-setting Snipes arrived in Orlando from Namibia - the site of his latest film, "Gallow Walker" - and was arrested by IRS agents. Then the Jones High School graduate was whisked off to Ocala's federal courthouse to answer the charges. Attorneys for Snipes, 44, blame his latest round of woes on past ties with a group that advocates the nonpayment of taxes and questions the IRS' powers to collect them. "We believe the evidence in this case will show that he has been the victim of unscrupulous tax advice," said Billy Martin, one of Snipes' three high-profile attorneys who accompanied the actor to the federal-court hearing Friday. A federal judge later released him on $1 million bail and said he could return to Namibia in southwest Africa to wrap up the movie. But Snipes must return to the country by Jan. 10, the judge said. Snipes - indicted by a federal grand jury in October along with Venice, Fla., accountant Doug Rosile and former Lake County anti-tax crusader Eddie Ray Kahn - is accused of seeking tax refunds worth more than $11 million by amending past IRS returns. He also is charged with sending $14 million in bogus checks to the IRS to settle his tax liability and failing to file income-tax returns from 1999 to 2004. Snipes' chartered Learjet landed at Orlando International Airport after a 27-hour flight from Namibia that also stopped in the Bahamas. Federal authorities negotiated Snipes' surrender with his attorneys for nearly two months after an Oct. 12 indictment. Snipes, sporting a goatee with strands of gray hair, wore his signature sunglasses, a black suit, blue shirt and matching tie. At his arraignment, the actor's attorneys told U.S. Magistrate Gary Jones that Snipes pleaded not guilty to the eight tax-related charges. Standing with his hands cuffed in front of him, Snipes did not speak in court but later thanked fans for their support and said he would be exonerated. "I look forward to clearing my name," said the former Isleworth resident. During the 40-minute hearing, Jones heard about Snipes' work in Namibia and his efforts to develop the film industry there. Snipes' attorney Daniel Meachum said the actor's work in that country had employed 180 people and pumped $6 million into the local economy. Prosecutors later noted Snipes' request to return to Africa was unusual, but "we don't think it's a great risk because we worked closely with his attorneys," First Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klindt said after the hearing. Jones also ordered Snipes to surrender his U.S passport after his return, report to the federal pretrial-services office in Orlando and live with his family in Marina Del Rey, Calif. The conspiracy and false-claim charges each carry a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Snipes also faces up to a year in prison on each of the six charges of failing to file income-tax returns. Federal agents escorted Snipes through the back entrance to the Golden-Collum Memorial Federal Building at about 9:30 a.m. Outside the courthouse after the hearing, Snipes was upbeat as a handful of bystanders stopped to gawk and cheer. Speaking at OIA later Friday, Snipes said it was "kind of ironic" to return to his hometown and deal with criminal charges. "I've had some interesting experiences here in Florida," Snipes said. "Most of them great. Some of them not so great." Snipes, who has made a living for two decades playing action heroes, villains and comic-book heroes, has made news on and off the big screen. In 2003, he lost the $1.7 million home to a foreclosure auction. That same year, he successfully fended off a paternity suit filed against him in Indiana. And in August, his former agents at United Talent Agency filed a $1.5 million lawsuit in Los Angeles, claiming the star failed to pay commissions on Blade: Trinity and three other films. How Snipes got involved with Kahn, the tax-shelter promoter, and Rosile, the accountant, is not publicly known. But court records show Snipes in 2000 hosted one of Kahn's tax workshops at his California home. David Wilson, an Ocala attorney representing Rosile, said his client never gave Snipes any advice and the two never met in person. Kahn surrendered Nov. 1 and is being held without bail at the Marion County Jail. Rosile was released without posting bail Oct. 17. Both have pleaded not guilty. A tentative trial date for all three has been set for March. Prosecutors say Kahn ran two tax-protest organizations in Mount Dora - American Rights Litigators and Guiding Light of God Ministries - that offered clients and members ways to avoid paying taxes. After a raid in 2004, Kahn moved to Panama with his wife. The Department of Justice filed civil suits in 2002 and 2003 against Kahn and Rosile to stop them from offering the tax packages they promoted online and at seminars. By 2002, Rosile and the group were responsible for more than $36 million nationwide in underreported taxes, according to court records.

Atlanta Braves Player Brian Jordan Named One of Georgia's Top Rising Stars in Business
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From PRWeb - October 12, 2006 Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) -- Georgia Trend Magazine has named Brian O. Jordan as one of this year's Georgia’s top 40 Under 40. Each year, Georgia Trend identifies Georgia's most outstanding individuals in business, cultural, government and academic leaders under the age of forty. Each person is recognized for his or her role in shaping Georgia's future. If you haven’t noticed, this two-sport professional athlete (football and baseball) is now looking forward to making his mark in the business industry. As CEO of the real estate development company, BOJ, LLC, Brian O. Jordan plans to build high-end quality homes and commercial facilities. His long time passion is becoming a reality as Jordan has two projects underway including Le Jardin (South Fulton, Atlanta) and the area surrounding his Century Lofts development (Downtown Atlanta). Jordan believes one of the keys to success is partnering with the right people. BOJ, LLC teamed up with The Macauley Companies to build the upscale residential community, Le Jardin. Read October’s issue of Georgia Trend Magazine's 40 Under 40 feature to see why Jordan was selected as one of Georgia's rising stars in business. About BOJ, LLC: In 2003, Brian O. Jordan formed the real estate development company, BOJ, LLC. The name of the company is derived from the initials of his birth name. Many believe that he has laid the groundwork for a brilliant future as a real estate developer by aligning a strong team of executives to head the company. Jordan didn’t have to look far to find someone with an extensive background in real estate to be his Chief Operating Officer. T. Dallas Smith has been in the market of commercial real estate investment for over 20 years. AS COO, Smith is the driving force behind BOJ’s property buying. This partner also heads the strategic marketing plans for the company’s most recent project, Le Jardin. His choice for the company’s COO had to be a strong and knowledgeable individual who could handle the workload. The same was a must for his legal advisor, Attorney Daniel R. Meachum. With over 25 years of practicing law, he came to BOJ as a partner with an impressive track record. Meachum, experienced in just about all facets of law, is looking to take BOJ to the next level. Serving as general counsel for the company, no business deals are fait accompli without the review and stamp of approval from both Jordan and Meachum. Every successful business has someone in place to handle the ups and downs of the marketplace in conjunction with its own company’s revenue. It was no surprise when Jordan appointed his long time friend and once college teammate, Erwin Matthews, CPA to be his financial advisor. With over 17 years of financial experience, Matthews is currently working for Merrill Lynch. He is a member of an elite team of financial professionals within the company, which specializes in assisting professional athletes transition from sports into their second career. Several newspapers and magazines, including Black Enterprise, have turned to Matthews to publish his financial advice for its readers. Jordan is confident on how finances for his company are being handled. Besides Matthews’ leadership skills, financial and successful deal experiences, Jordan recognizes he has a first-class trusted advisor as one of his partners. Performance is the key to growth and survival. It’s evident that each partner brings their own specialized skills to contribute to the company’s momentum of commercial real estate investment. There’s no question about it -- BOJ, LLC has the perfect make-up of being a successful profitable company.

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Necessity knows no law; I know some attorneys of the same." Luckily for us, Daniel Meachum doesn't fit into that category. That's why Hollywood A-listers turn to him for their legal advice. Known as "Meach" to his family and friends, he attended North Carolina Central University where he was vice-president of the student government and received the President's National Citizenship Award from the former President Gerald Ford. He then went on to graduate from the Howard University School of Law. Meachum also studied in Belgium, where he obtained an LLM in International Comparative Law. As a litigator, he has tried over 125 arbitrations and won all but two! This founder of Daniel R. Meachum & Associates, LLC leaves us with one thought: if ever you find yourself in need of a lawyer, he's someone you'd definitely want to Meach-ya.

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Who said scholars can't make it in big business? A Southerner tried and true, Meachum has made quite a reputation for himself as a leader in labor, employment, general corporate and transactional law.

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Daniel R. Meachum - sitting on top of the world
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Ask attorney Dan Meachum what would be a worthwhile legacy to leave in his wake and he’ll tell you plain and simple, “When [I’m] dead and gone, if people say, ‘Oh yeah, that cat ‘Meach’ was a bad dude.’” As you might gather, Mr. Meachum is not your average attorney-for-hire. In 25 years, he’s gained experience in just about every facet of the law, from government to corporate, sports to entertainment. And he’s done it the only way he knows how—his way. From the beginning, he wanted “to be more than just a lawyer, to try to do some grandiose stuff,” Meachum admits. And he has. Whether it was representing Temple University, Concessions International (formerly owned by Herman Russell, Jesse Hill Jr. and Felker Ward), or heavyweights like boxing promoter Butch Lewis, BET founder Bob Johnson, and Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington, Meachum has always elevated his game accordingly. Today, it amounts to something bigger than even he could’ve imagined. It’s called LeJardin, a 1,104 acre private development in south Atlanta being financed by African Americans—including one of Meachum’s clients, former baseball player Brian Jordan—that will eventually include 166 homes ranging from $1.5 million to $5 million dollars and 950 homes between $500,000 and $1 million. “That makes it a bigger project than any minority development firm has ever [completed],” says Meachum. It also means real estate law is just one more notch in his belt—which makes his partnership with the nation’s largest mortgage company, Countrywide Home Loans, a perfect fit. The only thing missing is Meachum’s parents, both of whom had passed away by the time he was a law school graduate. But considering all the big moves Meach has made throughout his career, there’s no doubt they can see him reaching for the sky. -rodney carmichael