Helio Jury In

[anthonyvop]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1002767.html


BY JAY WEAVER
[email:tb4z6gqk]jweaver@MiamiHerald.com[/email:tb4z6gqk]

A federal jury on Thursday said it reached a unanimous verdict on two tax-evasion counts against Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves and deadlocked on five others -- including the leading conspiracy charge against the Brazilian race car star.

The Miami jury also said it reached a unanimous verdict on one charge against the driver's sister/manager, Katiucia Castroneves, but deadlocked on the other six.

The panel said it reached a unanimous verdict on all seven counts against Castroneves' sports lawyer, Alan R. Miller. That verdict form was placed in a sealed envelope.

U.S. District Judge Donald Graham ordered the 12-member jury to continue deliberating in the $5.5 million tax-evasion case, giving them a so-called ''Allen'' charge urging them to find common ground on the deadlocked counts.

The prosecution supported the judge's charge to the jury, and the defense opposed it.

Castroneves and his sister embraced after the jury delivered the partial verdict, amid a packed courtroom of relatives, friends and media.

[MDS]

My read on this is they've found Miller guilty on all counts and are deadlocked about how much Helio and his sister knew/conspired.

[garyshell]

My read on this is they've found Miller guilty on all counts and are deadlocked about how much Helio and his sister knew/conspired.


How do you come to that? I saw no indication of innocence or guilt on ANY of the counts against ANY of them. Just that a verdict was reached and sealed, until all counts are decided.

Gary

[MDS]

They've reached a verdict on all counts against miller, two counts against Helio, but not the conspiracy charge, and one count against Kat. I don't see how Miller could be innocent of all charges and there not be uniformity across the board.

[beachbum]

How do you come to that? I saw no indication of innocence or guilt on ANY of the counts against ANY of them. Just that a verdict was reached and sealed, until all counts are decided.

Gary
Considering all of the speculation that went on during the trial, you really didn't expect it to end? I agree with you, we have no clue what is in the sealed verdicts. The only reasonable conclusion is that the jury has mixed feelings about the remaining charges.

[garyshell]

Reports from AP say Helio and his sister have been acquitted on all counts!



MIAMI (AP) — A jury has acquitted Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves of tax evasion but hung on a count of conspiracy.
Jurors deliberated for six days before reaching their verdict on Friday.
Castroneves has twice won the Indianapolis 500 winner, and was also champ of TV's "Dancing With The Stars" in 2007. His sister and business manager, Katiucia Castroneves, was also acquitted on the tax evasion counts and the jury also hung on the conspiracy count. His Michigan lawyer, Alan Miller, was acquitted on the conspiracy count and three counts of tax evasion.
The three were accused of conspiring to evade millions in taxes over a five-year period. They had faced up to six years in prison.

Gary

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Reports from AP say Helio and his sister have been acquitted on all counts!


MIAMI (AP) — A jury has acquitted Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves of tax evasion but hung on a count of conspiracy.
Jurors deliberated for six days before reaching their verdict on Friday.
Castroneves has twice won the Indianapolis 500 winner, and was also champ of TV's "Dancing With The Stars" in 2007. His sister and business manager, Katiucia Castroneves, was also acquitted on the tax evasion counts and the jury also hung on the conspiracy count. His Michigan lawyer, Alan Miller, was acquitted on the conspiracy count and three counts of tax evasion.
The three were accused of conspiring to evade millions in taxes over a five-year period. They had faced up to six years in prison.

Gary

http://www.miamiherald.com/

YEAH !!!!!!!!!

[jwhite9185]

Yeah, they just said on the Long Beach practice feed that he had been acquitted.

Wonder where this leaves Will Power? And they are also saying Helio could be back for Long Beach!

[elis]

Absolutely over the moon, always had a really hard time believing anything otherwise.. as he said, the truth will out.

[gofastandwynn]

There is a 3rd Penske hauler at Long Beach with #12 and Verizon Wireless on it...

http://wbrettpadgett.com/images/Penske%20Transporters.jpg

[garyshell]

More details from the Miami Herald:



BY JAY WEAVER

jweaver@MiamiHerald.com

Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves and his sister Katiucia sobbed and embraced each other after a federal jury found them not guilty on six counts of evading taxes on $5.5 million from racing car earnings.

The 12-member jury deadlocked on the lead conspiracy charge against them, which prompted U.S. District Judge Donald Graham to declare a mistrial on that count.

The jurors, who deliberated since last Friday after a six-week trial, also acquitted the Brazilian race car star's sports lawyer, Alan R. Miller, on the main conspiracy charge and three other tax evasion counts. Miller was not charged in three other counts of the indictment.

With his legal victory, Castroneves, 33, will now be able to fly immediately to California to race in the Long Beach Grand Prix for Penske Racing, the team that hired him in late 1999. His licensing contract with the legendary racing organization was at the heart of the government's tax-evasion case.
Castroneves, who has lived in the Miami area for more than a decade and owns a Coral Gables mansion, looked as if he were praying as he awaited word on whether the jurors would find him guilty or innocent of failing to pay taxes on $5.5 million earned between 1999 and 2004. The IRS said he owed $2.3 million on that income.

Castroneves, his sister and his sports lawyer -- charged in a conspiracy to evade paying taxes on the income -- were teased with partial verdicts returned by the 12-member jury on Thursday. But those verdicts were not made public.

The jury had to decide whether Castroneves and the others conspired to evade U.S. taxes that the driver earned over five years, mostly from his licensing deal with Penske Racing. Under his contract, the income was supposed to be sent to a Panamanian tax shelter, but was ultimately transferred instead to an annuity account in The Netherlands.
Castroneves also received $530,000 from a Brazilian trading company that sponsored him just before he hit the big time a decade ago as an IndyCar driver with Penske. Castroneves and his sister are accused of moving most of the driver's income from sponsor Coimex Internacional to a Swiss bank account.

So far, Castroneves has paid taxes on only $50,000 of his total earnings from the Brazilian sponsor. That could present a bigger problem than his unpaid taxes on his Penske income, which the driver has yet to receive.
Castroneves' lawyers said the two-time Indy 500 champ driver -- who gained greater fame when he won the Dancing with the Stars reality TV show in 2007 -- plans to start paying his taxes in May when he begins receiving income from his Dutch annuity.


Gary

[MDS]

Just checked the Penske website. They don't have anything about it there, but the second practice doesn't start for until 5 p.m. EST. If he Penske has a plane and a helicopter available to him I don't see why they couldn't get him there in time for that practice today. Getting Helio into the race this week would be a great way to build on the publicity of the verdict.

I'm happy to see Heilo acquited. I don't think what he did was right, but probably didn't rise to an international conspiriacy. I think if he pays some taxes and a fine, not to mention the lawyer fees, I feel Karama, and the justice system, has been served.

[garyshell]

Just checked the Penske website. They don't have anything about it there, but the first practice doesn't start for another two and half hours. If he Penske has a plane and a helicopter available to him I don't see why they couldn't get him there in time for the second practice today. Getting Helio into the race this week would be a great way to build on the publicity of the verdict.

The first practice session just ended. I think it's gonna be a stretch to get him into a car today.

Gary

[F1boat]

This is great news! I want Spidey back on track as soon as possible!

[gofastandwynn]

Updated AP story



Indy driver Castroneves acquitted in tax case

MIAMI – Brazilian race car driver and "Dancing With The Stars" champ Helio Castroneves was acquitted Friday of most charges that he worked with his sister and lawyer to evade more than $2.3 million in U.S. income taxes.
A federal jury acquitted Castroneves on six counts of tax evasion but hung on one count of conspiracy. The jury also acquitted Katiucia Castroneves, 35, who is her 33-year-old brother's business manager, on the tax evasion counts but also hung on the conspiracy. Michigan motorsports attorney Alan Miller, 71, was acquitted on all three counts of tax evasion and one count of conspiracy. The jury deliberated six days after a six-week trial.
Castroneves, speaking in his native Portuguese, expressed profound relief.
"I just want to thank God, and my fans, and all of the people who prayed for me," he said outside the courtroom, still fingering a rosary.

"It has been a very difficult place to be in," he said, but added that his faith had seen him through. He said he planned to leave Friday night for Los Angeles.

All three faced more than six years in prison if convicted of conspiracy and tax evasion between 1999 and 2004. The case mainly revolved around income from a $2 million sponsorship deal Castroneves had with the Brazilian firm Coimex and his $5 million licensing deal he reached with Penske Racing in late 1999.

Castroneves, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and one of the Indy racing circuit's most popular drivers, was temporarily replaced on Team Penske by Australian Will Power pending the outcome of the case. Castroneves won the TV dance competition in 2007.

Central to the case was the ownership of a Panamanian company called Seven Promotions. Prosecutors called it a shell corporation set up primarily so Castroneves could dodge U.S. income taxes, but Castroneves' father testified he created Seven to boost his son's image in Brazil. The elder Castroneves said his son never owned it.

Prosecutors called that a lie, showing jurors numerous documents in which Castroneves claimed Seven as his own. If it was, an Internal Revenue Service agent testified that Castroneves owed U.S. taxes on the full $5 million from Penske even though he has never actually received the money.
Instead, the Penske payments were eventually invested in a deferred compensation deal with the Dutch firm Fintage Licensing B.V. Castroneves attorney Roy Black told jurors in closing arguments that such deals are common — and perfectly legal — for athletes who have relatively short careers and face injury or worse at any moment.

Black also said Castroneves had only a slight understanding of his financial affairs and relied on professionals to deal with them.

"Does anybody really think Helio Castroneves really made a financial decision. All he did was drive — and drive he did," Black said.

Prosecutor Matt Axelrod, however, said it made little sense for Castroneves to sign away $5 million to Seven if he had no control.

"You don't send millions of dollars to a company you don't own or control," Axelrod said.

Besides the Penske and Coimex money, Castroneves was charged with claiming thousands of dollars in improper tax deductions and failing to disclose as income Hugo Boss clothing and airline tickets he received.

[disko]

kudos to the IRL and Penske for standing behind Helio! WHat a PR buzz for the IRL! Lets go racing!!!!! What a story if he wins Sunday. Major - Major publicity. will he get the call?

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Now we just wait for the official Penske word on Helio's status for Long Beach and beyond and in what car. Also waiting on Will Power's fate at Penske.

Helio should be on a Falcon or a Gulfstream on the way to California by now.

[ChicagocrewIRL]

FROM Speedtv.com

Roger Penske, Helio's team owner, said, "It's a great outcome, it was along race, and it was unfortunate his family had to go through it all, but we're moving ahead with Helio in #3 car on Saturday morning." Will Power will be moved to a third Penske entry.

Helio gets the 3 car back !!!! YEAH !!!!!! Will moves to the No. 12 car ?

[The instant classic]

FROM Speedtv.com

Roger Penske, Helio's team owner, said, "It's a great outcome, it was along race, and it was unfortunate his family had to go through it all, but we're moving ahead with Helio in #3 car on Saturday morning." Will Power will be moved to a third Penske entry.

Helio gets the 3 car back !!!! YEAH !!!!!! Will moves to the No. 12 car ?
will Penske keep 3 cars all season long?

[ChicagocrewIRL]

will Penske keep 3 cars all season long?

Nothing official but I have read several accounts of Roger Penske's willingness to do so. I think it would only be fair to all involved. I don't think Team Penske is hurting for resources.

[gofastandwynn]

Nothing official but I have read several accounts of Roger Penske's willingness to do so. I think it would only be fair to all involved. I don't think Team Penske is hurting for resources.

RP said to Mike King at St. Pete that he would run 3 for the rest of the season if this happened.

Happy Day!!!

[The instant classic]

RP said to Mike King at St. Pete that he would run 3 for the rest of the season if this happened.

Happy Day!!!
more cars on track makes this IRL FAN very HAPPY!

[ChicagocrewIRL]

GAG The CNN website has the headline

"Dancing champ acquitted on tax charges."

Scuse me CNN, he is a 2 time Indianapolis 500 Champion.

[DBell]

RP said to Mike King at St. Pete that he would run 3 for the rest of the season if this happened.

Happy Day!!!

I hope Will has a ride for all the races. Autosport confirms LB and Indy.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74552

[ozrevhead]

Interesting to see if they do deside if Dario automacally becomes their no.1 driver again.....wouldnt suprise me TBH


I hope Will has a ride for all the races. Autosport confirms LB and Indy.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74552
he helped then in a tight spot - he better! :mad: :mad: :mad: