In case you didn’t hear my few seconds of fame on your local CBS affiliate radio show (the bit was broadcast nationally), you can have a listen here:
taxgirl on CBS (mp3 file)
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Apparently, it’s better to be naked on a beach in Borneo eating bugs than wearing orange in a prison cell in West Virginia…
Richard Hatch, the first winner of “Survivor” has made yet another request to be released from prison. Hatch is currently serving just over four years in a West Virginia federal prison for tax evasion. He was convicted of not reporting the $1 million prize that he won on the infamous reality show. Hatch, of course, maintains that he is innocent. He claims that he made CBS aware that he knew there was cheating on the show, and in return, they promised to pay his taxes for him (riiiiight). CBS has repeatedly denied the claim and Hatch’s attorneys did not present any evidence on that claim at trial.
Even if CBS fessed up (cause, you know that really happened) Hatch has never offered a suitable excuse for not reporting $327,000 he earned as co-host of a Boston radio show or $28,000 of rental proceeds. Failing to report that income was part of his guilty verdict.
Hatch, now writing a memo for his appeal, says:
“Hatch’s portrayal on ‘Survivor’ and his media-concocted caricature as villainous and manipulative continue to unfairly bleed into legal proceedings and wield unjust influence.”
Yes, it’s written by him but in the third person.
It’s the “everybody hates me” appeal. Note to Richard: it does not work with my 4 year old and I’m guessing it will not work for you. Just a hunch.
Hatch has previously appealed and lost – including an appeal to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case. This time, he has a new strategy: he’s representing himself (cause that works sooo often). He’s also claiming that his prior lawyers were not effective and that the judge did not calculate his jail time correctly.
Prosecutors have not yet responded to the motion.
Assuming that nothing changes, which is a pretty good bet, Hatch is scheduled to be released from prison on October 7, 2009.
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The first ever winner of CBS’ Survivor has appealed his tax evasion conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Richard Hatch was convicted of failing to pay taxes on the $1 million prize on Survivor in 2000. He was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. He had previously appealed his conviction to the United States Court of Appeals and lost.
But now he’s going big time… He has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. Hatch’s lawyer, Michael Minns, claimed that the judge improperly prevented him from testifying about a reported conversation that he reportedly had with the producers of the show. Hatch claims that he confronted producers about alleged cheating on the show and was rewarded for his silence with a promise that his taxes would be paid if he kept quiet and went on to win the competition. CBS, of course, disagrees with that version of the events.
It’s worth noting that the Appeals Court found that Hatch was given several opportunities to testify about the alleged deal with CBS to pay his taxes, but he never did. The court ruled that “[t]he failure of Hatch to present any evidence of such conversations when invited by the court strongly suggested that no actual promises were made, and no such ‘deal’ actually existed.”
Hatch also was convicted of tax evasion charges stemming from failing to report over $300,000 in earnings as co-host of a Boston radio show and almost $30,000 from rental properties. I’m guessing CBS didn’t agree to pay those taxes.
I don’t expect that Hatch’s case will actually be reviewed by the Supreme Court. They only take a small number of the appeals they receive and I can’t see where this case has any special merit that would attract their attention. But, hey, I could be wrong.
Not surprisingly, Hatch has turned author in jail. He’s writing about “his experiences with the legal system and his disappointment not just with the problems that he suffered but with the problems other people have suffered that he has met.”
Another book from a jailed/troubled “celeb” (I use that term loosely). Yawn. Would you read it?
(Image: Newscom)
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Stretching his fifteen minutes even further, Richard Hatch of CBS’ "Survivor" went before a federal appeals court to argue against his conviction on tax evasion charges. Hatch was convicted of failing to pay taxes when he took home the $1 million prize on "Survivor. He was sentenced to more than four years in prison.
Defense lawyer Michael Minns argued on appeal that U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres improperly prevented him from pursuing a line of questioning regarding Hatch’s allegations that CBS promised to the pay taxes on the prize (CBS has denied those allegations). Federal prosecutors disagreed in their pleading, stating that Torres told Minns that he could present the evidence and that Minns chose not to do so.
While the "naked guy" (his "Survivor" tag) was acquitted on a number of charges relating to bank, mail and wire fraud charges related to his charity, Horizon Bound, he was convicted of tax evasion for more than $350,000 of income in additional to the $1 million prize.
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