Castroneves Trial

Helio's trial began yesterday with jury selection. 5 men and 7 women. Opening statements today. 7 women was a brilliant legal move considering the charming ladies man that he is. And you know women always like a man who can dance.
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Hopefully a fair decision will be reached. Everytime I've run into him at a race he's been courteous and polite. I really does seem to be a decent guy. However, you mess with fire.................

 

As I posted on another forum, his best defense is to get an appointment to Obama's cabinet. Then he can pass Go and collect $200. Or is it $700 billion these days? Easy to lose count.

 

I wish him the best, truly one of the "good guys" of racing.

 

Hopefully things go well for Helio as I still contend that he does not have the business sense to pull off that scheme, only that he is the "name" that is being used to exploit the situation. I would love to see him triumph and climb the judge's bench in victory!

 

I was expecting someone to say that.

 

...and uncork a bottle of champaigne and hose everyone .

 

Is Allan Miller in trial with him? I'm told that this is a slam dunk for the IRS. Was getting payments to offshore accounts, and not reporting them. He is a good guy, but if you can't do the time, don't do the crime. His lawyer, Allan Miller of Michigan was also charged, and I wonder if they are both on trial. Miller also represents Colin Edwards of MotoGP fame.

Art

 

Helio, his sister, and Miller are all on trail at once. I wonder if any Penske people will be called. I mean, they wrote the checks. Rodger Penske has stood by Helio big time. That says something. Rodger says Helio will be at Indy if this all shakes out. I've heard the Feds don't do high profile without being right argument. We will see.

 

http://blog.pappastax.com/index.php/2009/03/03/3319/ So far it looks like will the jury believe "Intent to Defraud"

 

Maybe his defense could be that he made a "mistake" like Timmy Geithner

 

I suspect that that there are a few more of these guys around. Wonder if the IRS will offer a deal to either of them to snitch out more tax cheats.

Art

 

Yeah, I heard there was something wrong with Helios TurboTax? Didn't calculate anything.

 

I cannot believe that he did not plead this one out.

 

Ego makes people do crazy stuff.

Art

 

Don't forget greed too

 

To read the article makes me think he's going to get off:

He's being accused of not paying taxes on 5 million dollars in salary - salary he has yet to receive !
How can you pay taxes on something you never got ?

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/950712.html

 

IRS is very (crystal) clear, you cannot defer salary that way.

I've never met him, but from all accounts and from what I've seen he does seem to be a decent and nice guy. Doesn't mean he's not a tax cheat though. I really do hate to make any premature judgement but I would bet he was cognizant of what he was doing -- not that he thought he was defrauding the government but that he was willfully trying to avoid taxes and had bad advice or didn't quite get that last detail right (the last detail being, he doesn't make nearly enough money to beat "the man"). i only say that because i know more than a handful of folks who have sought to escape CA taxes, and it is quite difficult.

 

I would have. What is the history on beating the IRS in court vs. coming to an agreement with them?

 

Being a nice guy is one thing; having the urge to cheat the tax man is something else and the two can easily an merrily go together.
By all accounts Brasilians can beat even the Italians at finding ways to cheat the tax man: it is a compelling drive in their genes, some kind of a survival instinct.

 

Trial should be done early next week. From what I've seen a slam dunk for the prosecution, but who knows what a jury will do.

Art

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/irl/2009-03-30-castroneves-trial_N.htm

 

Income tax is unconstitutional anyway...

 

So some say. Ask Wesley Snipes.

 

Jimmy Johnson is a big gun to fire on the first shot. well played or a sign of desperation?