WESLEY SNIPES - SNIPES CONVICTED FOR FAILING TO FILE HIS TAXES

WESLEY SNIPES faces three years behind bars after he was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years in a Florida court on Friday (01Feb08). The Blade star was acquitted of tax fraud and filing a false claim, as well as three misdemeanour counts of willful failure to file a tax return. But now he must wait to see if he faces prison for not declaring his income from 1999 to 2004 in the proper manner, costing U.S. tax authorities millions of dollars. Outside court, after he was freed on bail, a relieved Snipes told reporters, "I'm feeling great (but) a little confused... It's nice to be out here with you right now." During the course of the two-week trial, Snipes' attorneys agreed the actor was "dead wrong" not to have paid taxes, but no fraud was perpetrated and that a trial was a waste of time.