PENSACOLA, Fla. - Internal Revenue Service (news - web sites) agents are investigating a man who runs a creationist theme park and museum, saying he owes taxes on proceeds of more than $1 million.
IRS agents raided the Pensacola homes and businesses of Kent Hovind, 51. Calling himself "Dr. Dino," Hovind argues against evolution and for a Biblical view of creation in travels around the world, on the Internet, videos and in literature.
Agents on Wednesday confiscated computer and paper records of financial activity since 1997, but no charges have been filed against Hovind. He denied wrongdoing Friday.
In a sworn statement to obtain a search warrant, IRS agent Scott Schneider said none of Hovind's enterprises has a business license or tax-exempt status as a nonprofit entity.
"Since 1997, Hovind has engaged in financial transactions indicating sources of income and has made deposits to bank accounts well in excess of $1 million per year during some of these years, which would require the filing of federal income taxes," Schneider said.
Hovind said he suspected he is being targeted because of his religious beliefs and questioned the timing of the raids a day before the April 15 tax-filing deadline.
"They've got to flex their muscle this time of year," he said.
IRS spokeswoman Alycyn Culbertson denied the timing was relevant.
Hovind referred questions about his business practices to Glen Stoll, director of Remedies at Law, an Edmonds, Wash., firm that represents him and his operations, including Dinosaur Adventure Land, Faith Baptist Church and Creation Science Evangelism. The theme park features information on "Dinosaurs in the Bible," as well as rides such as swings and trampolines that test "your faith in God's laws," according to its Web site.
Stoll said the IRS allegations were "based on misperceptions."
"They don't understand how the church is created and registered, how it operates under church law, which is entirely separate from secular authority," Stoll said.
Hovind also has a May 18 court date on three misdemeanor charges stemming from his refusal to get a building permit. He objects to the permit process as an undue expense on his church.
I just find that hilarious. Especially the last paragraph where he refused to get a building permit because it was "an undue expense on his church." Moron. I guess I shouldn't have to pay taxes becuase its an undue expense on my Church of Using Money for stuff I want.
SDNW4 Nation: The Refuge And, on Nova Terra, Al-Stan the Totally and Completely Honest and Legitimate Weapons Dealer and Used Starship Salesman slept on a bed made of money, with a blaster under his pillow and his sombrero pulled over his face. This is to say, he slept very well indeed.
It's disgusting how the secular authorities presume to tax the income from what is obviously a church! This money was made in the name of God, and (being non-profit) the IRS has no claim to it.
Hovind referred questions about his business practices to Glen Stoll, director of Remedies at Law, an Edmonds, Wash., firm that represents him and his operations, including Dinosaur Adventure Land, Faith Baptist Church and Creation Science Evangelism. The theme park features information on "Dinosaurs in the Bible," as well as rides such as swings and trampolines that test "your faith in God's laws," according to its Web site.
Faith Baptist Church -- okay, I could see that being exempt although I'm against churches or ministries being tax exempt in most instances.
Creation Science Evangelism -- I guess that is an off shoot of the church.
Dinosaur Adventure Land -- Please, it may have this guy's religious slant but unless he's only charging for operating costs it needs to be taxed. If anything this theme park shows that the government really needs to revisit the tax free status on religious organizations. There's a difference in not being taxed so you are free to worship as you wish and being tax exempt so you can rake in a arkload of money that you can use to expand and better spread your religious ideas.
By the pricking of my thumb,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks.
neoolong wrote:Don't you need to apply for tax-exempt status for your church?
Because it seems like he didn't, which is why he was raided.
Don't churches get tax-exempt status because they're non-profit charity sorta things? This guy runs a THEME PART and makes millions of dollars; that hardly qualifies!
Let us have a prayer vigil, that he be sent to prison for the maximum time.
Mayabird is my girlfriend
Justice League:BotM:MM:SDnet City Watch:Cybertron's Finest "Well then, science is bullshit. "
-revprez, with yet another brilliant rebuttal.
Wicked Pilot wrote:Yep, those poor Christians sure are being persecuted...
You mean prosecuted, right?
Devolution is quite as natural as evolution, and may be just as pleasing, or even a good deal more pleasing, to God. If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so God may be jealous of him, and eager to see his superiority perish with his bodily frame.
"Child molestation is not only a sin- it's also a felony"
One of the best lines from Robin Williams 2002 stand-up routine on Broadway- I think it illustrates the problem with really devout religious types quite well.
Can't really feel sorry for him when he ignores the laws of man, regardless of his intent. Especially when you consider that filing some paperwork or whatever is involved in getting your organization tax-exempt would have prevented this little mess. Or am I wrong?
“There are two kinds of people in the world: the kind who think it’s perfectly reasonable to strip-search a 13-year-old girl suspected of bringing ibuprofen to school, and the kind who think those people should be kept as far away from children as possible … Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between drug warriors and child molesters.” - Jacob Sullum[/size][/align]
Vohu Manah wrote:Can't really feel sorry for him when he ignores the laws of man, regardless of his intent. Especially when you consider that filing some paperwork or whatever is involved in getting your organization tax-exempt would have prevented this little mess. Or am I wrong?
But his organization, not the church but the amusement park, isn't tax-excempt by definition and there's no way it could be exempt. No amount of paperwork could exempt it...unless if its illegal paperwork. He's not lazy, he's evil and conniving. I'd rant a bit on burning fundies, but I might tick off some wiser people and scare weak hearted people like Rogue 9.
neoolong wrote:Don't you need to apply for tax-exempt status for your church?
Because it seems like he didn't, which is why he was raided.
Don't churches get tax-exempt status because they're non-profit charity sorta things? This guy runs a THEME PART and makes millions of dollars; that hardly qualifies!
Even churches still have to file for tax exempt status, i believe. though i do find the guy's defense amusing. "You have no right to tax me because you don't understand how taxes work for those in religion!" It's even more amusing when he's accusing the organization that practically created the tax code that they don't know how it works.
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
Darth_Zod wrote:Even churches still have to file for tax exempt status, i believe. though i do find the guy's defense amusing. "You have no right to tax me because you don't understand how taxes work for those in religion!" It's even more amusing when he's accusing the organization that practically created the tax code that they don't know how it works.
neoolong wrote:Don't you need to apply for tax-exempt status for your church?
Because it seems like he didn't, which is why he was raided.
Don't churches get tax-exempt status because they're non-profit charity sorta things? This guy runs a THEME PART and makes millions of dollars; that hardly qualifies!
Even churches still have to file for tax exempt status, i believe. though i do find the guy's defense amusing. "You have no right to tax me because you don't understand how taxes work for those in religion!" It's even more amusing when he's accusing the organization that practically created the tax code that they don't know how it works.
Eh at times they don't, you really don't want to know how easy it's for them to fuck up, give you an audit and then go oops.
But he doesn't have the authority nor the ability to even consider what they do and don't know given he fucked himself over.
Good, personally people like him(and this includes his absolute bullshit theories) deserve to get the full treatment of the IRS.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Shroom Man 777 wrote:No, it's not the FBI, it's not the CIA, it's not the NSA....it is...the...IRS!
NOOOO!!!!
This might herald a new age, y'know.
Not really.
People of wealth respect an organization that can fuck you over the instant you claim one thing out of whack...literally.
I mean taking down Al Capone is one of their dirtier tricks and they are ugly bitchs...people who avoid the IRS do so because of off-shore accounts and such not.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
