Beanie Babies creator gets probation, no prison

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. That sends a message - "find an expensive lawyer, and cheat on your taxes"

"Forbes recently put his net worth at $2.6 billion"
"Prosecutors say at one point, Warner was concealing as much as $107 million."
" He earned $3.1 million in gross income in 2002 through the account"
"Warner agreed to pay a civil penalty of more than $53 million and $5 million in back taxes."

But what got him off jail time was a $20,000 charitable donation to a stranger (ignore the "$20 million charitable donation of proceeds from a toy he helped design commemorating Princess Diana after her death" - as Chris Rock would say, "what do you want - a cookie?"; no-one gets credit for declining to profit off a death). So, $20,000 from $2.6bn makes you " a very unique individual ... in his service and kindness to mankind". That's 0.0008% of his wealth. Work out how much that is for you (example: if your net wealth is a comfortable $500,000 - say you own your own house, and have plenty saved for your retirement - that's $4), and consider if a judge would let you off jail time for a deliberate crime for giving that much to a stranger. Consider if the judge would even let your lawyer continue his speech in court if he brought that up.