IndyCar driver, and perhaps more notably the former champion of TV's Dancing with the Stars, Helio Castroneves will have to wait at least two more days to learn the fate of his future.The two-time Indianapolis 500 champion and driver for the esteemed Penske Racing operation faces charges of tax evasion, along with his sister Katitucia and attorney Alan Miller for what the Internal Revenue Service says was millions of dollars worth of evaded and unpaid tax returns.
And Friday, after both the prosecution and the defense finished their final statements, the jury deliberated for over two hours before closing up shop for the weekend.
Of course, these charges threaten to seriously derail the career of a driver who has won just about everything in IndyCar with the exception of a few near-misses at the season championship. If found guilty, Castroneves & Co. all face up to six years in prison -- quite a sentence for the 33-year-old in a sport where one bad season can mean the difference between battling for wins or battling for a place to drive.
The possible prison sentence has implications for the NASCAR world, too, as drivers like Jimmie Johnson are clients of Miller's business. It should be clear, though, that there are no other accusations of impropriety against any of Miller's clients.
For many people who find United States tax code to be more challenging than hitting a three-run home run in baseball with one person on base -- like your's truly -- it's hard to fully grasp what Helio is accused of doing, much less why a tax case has gone to criminal court.
One would think that another venue -- say, a tax court? -- might be a little better suited for such a case to decide if Helio owes money or not. The problem, though, seems to arise from the fact that the IRS feels Castroneves and Miller misled or outright lied to their investigators about the placement of Helio's income.
Regardless, the decision on the future of Helio in the seat of an IndyCar should come early next week and until then, we'll only be able to wait and wonder.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-11-2009 @ 9:37AM
Kim said...
Am I the only one that thinks Mr. Castroneves looks like a snake oil salesman? This news does not surprise me in the least. What is it about the rich and famous who seem to believe they are above the law, the tax laws that is. Just recently other famous folks such as Wesley Snipes, Nicholas Cage & Richard Hatch (formerly of Survivor winning fame), have all been nailed for tax evasion.
I wonder if Helio truly didn't know what was going on with his own monies or if he did take a part in it. Someone should explain to Helio that here in America, no lawyer should ever be trusted!
And as a huge Jimmie Johnson fan, God I hope this idiot Miller hasn't screwed him over, too. Somehow though, I doubt it. Jimmie is too smart to not handle his monies wisely.
Interesting theory Mr. Miller about the tax court. However, evading the IRS and not giving them their money is a crime especially if done so willingly. I have little sympathies for the rich and famous who whine about taxes since I myself am caught in the lower middle class tax bracket and see plenty of my money float away to our government pockets.
Kim
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4-11-2009 @ 6:29PM
mfatty500 said...
Figures, coming from a nascrap fan. Hope lil' jimmie boy is shaking in his skirt. Throw all the politians in obamas cabinet that "forgot" to pay thier taxes. Open wheel racing forever! Go Helio, go! See you in may at the speedway.
4-12-2009 @ 8:06PM
MoonShadow said...
Let Helio pay his extraordinary tax bill on April 15th, with a big fat penalty. Community Service with "safe teen driver", and then give him a chance next year to pay his taxes on time. THere are people who belong in jail, let's save our jail space for them. Helio could be the example for all others to pay their taxes on Wednesday, and Helio could be the spokesperson for Safeteen driving. Safe teen driving is all about forgiveness and second chances and also promotes safety for our most vulnerable racing audience.
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