http://www.motherjones.com/riff/2009...seum-tax-fraud
Creationist Museum Tax Fraud
August 6, 2009
A Pensacola judge has green lighted the government seizure of Pensacola's Dinosaur Adventure Land, a creationist theme park whose owners, Kent and Jo Hovind, owe $430,400 in federal taxes. The Hovinds' excuse for not paying was that they were employed by God and thus could claim zero income and property.
According to the Pensacola News Journal, the government will sell off the Hovinds' property to pay the debt. Not sure exactly what those properties are, but the park's website offers a few clues:
Learn about dinosaurs, principles of science, and even how to make a paper airplane that can fly over 300 feet! Handle our real, live creatures and take the Leap of Faith swing. Enjoyable and educational for all ages, it is specifically targeted for kids under a million years of age!
Be prepared to be challenged to think and to follow the Lord in the way God the Creator has planned for you. If you do not know your Creator, we will be overjoyed to introduce you to Him.
Our funny and experienced guides will lead your family or group on the tour, declaring the works of the Lord and the words of the Lord.
DAL is not an amusement park, for “amuse” means “to not think,” and we want people to think. Rather, it is an amazement park.
So I wonder what's to become of all the park's statues and critters? And what's the going rate for a Leap of Faith swing these days, anyway?
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http://www.pensapedia.com/wiki/Kent_Hovind
Kent E. Hovind (born January 15, 1953) is an American evangelist and prominent Young Earth creationist who is serving a ten-year term in U.S. federal prison for 58 tax offenses, obstructing federal agents and related charges. He goes by the nickname Dr. Dino and established the Creation Science Evangelism Ministry in 1989 [1] and, prior to his incarceration, spoke frequently in private schools, churches, university debates and on radio and television broadcasts arguing for young earth creationism. Hovind is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution, South Carolina.[2]
Legal problems
Kent Hovind has had several contacts with law enforcement, including charges of assault and battery, falsely declaring bankruptcy, making threats against federal officials, filing false complaints, failing to get necessary building permits, and various tax-related charges. He has been convicted of federal tax and related charges and is currently serving a 10-year sentence for these.
Assault and battery
In 2002, he was charged with one count of felony assault, one count of misdemeanor battery, and one count of burglary with assault/battery.[22] In December 2002, the charges were dropped by the alleged victim, Hovind's secretary.[18]
Property taxes and zoning ordinance
Hovind was charged on September 13, 2002, for failure to observe county zoning regulations with respect to Dinosaur Adventure Land.[18] Despite arguments that the owners did not need a permit due to the nature of the building, the park has been found in violation of local regulations.[23] On June 5, 2006, Hovind pled nolo contendere as charged to three counts: constructing a building without a permit, refusing to sign a citation (Case # 2001 MM 023489 A)[24] and violating the county building code (Case # 2002 MM 026670 A).[25] Hovind was ordered to pay $225.00 per count. The plea brought to an end the 5-year criminal (misdemeanor) court battle over a $50.00 building permit. In June 2006 Hovind complied with the county law (Case # 2001 MM 023489 A).[26] Hovind estimates he spent $40,000 in legal expenses on this case. On June 19, 2006, the delinquent 2003-2005 property taxes/penalties for Dinosaur Adventure Land were paid in the amount of $10,402.64.
Federal civil tax matters, bankruptcy, and renouncing citizenship
Hovind's Creation Science Evangelism ministry is not listed as a tax-exempt Code Section 501(c)(3) charitable, educational or religious organization by the Internal Revenue Service[27] nor is it considered a church by people who work there.[28][29] Instead, Hovind's various educational and religious activities are run through an organizational structure which, according to the United States Tax Court, appears to be "based on various questionable trust documents purchased from Glen Stoll, a known promoter of tax avoidance schemes."[7] The Tax Court has concluded that Hovind used these trust documents as well as other fraudulent means to conceal the ownership and control of his activities and properties.[7]
Hovind was originally reported to the IRS by Pensacola Christian College senior vice president Rebekah Horton in the mid 1990s, after she learned of Hovind's anti-tax stand. "'We know the Scriptures do not promote (tax evasion),'" Horton said in testimony against Hovind during his 2006 trial, "'It's against Scripture teaching'.... Horton believed it was the college's duty to report the misleading doctrine. 'I didn't want to see innocent people get led astray,' she said. Pensacola Christian College then decided its students no longer were permitted to work with Creation Science Evangelism".[30]
In 1996 Hovind unsuccessfully filed for bankruptcy to avoid paying federal income taxes. Hovind was found to have lied about his possessions and income.[31] He claimed that as a minister of God everything he owns belonged to God and he is not subject to paying taxes to the United States on the money he received for doing God's work.[32] The court ordered him to pay the money and upheld the IRS's determination that Hovind's claim "was filed in bad faith for the sole purpose of avoiding payment of federal income taxes." In the ruling, the judge called Hovind's arguments "patently absurd." The judge also noted that "the IRS has no record of the debtor ever having filed a federal income tax return," although this was not the court's reason for denying the bankruptcy claim.
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Originally Posted by Flagg
