Federal Judiciary

Tax-Cheating Survivor Stays in Prison

By Robert Loblaw

U.S. v. Hatch, 06-1902 (1st Cir., Feb. 1, 2008)

Just as Richard Hatch stayed until the end of the game on Survivor: Borneo, he’ll also stay until the end of the game at FCI: Morgantown.  That’s the word from the First Circuit, which rejected Hatch’s tax evasion appeal yesterday. 

Hatch was convicted for a variety of elementary tax “mistakes” including the failure to report his $1 million Survivor prize as taxable income.  He was sentenced to 51 months in prison, but he appealed, challenging various evidentiary rulings at trial as well as the methodology for his sentencing.  But the First rejects his claims and affirms his conviction and sentence.

So much for Outlast, Outwit, Outplay.  Or at least the Outwit, Outplay part.

Full post as published by Decision of the Day on February 02, 2008 (boomark / email).