Richard Hatch

[Tubby]

'Survivor' winner Hatch set for courtroom showdown
By Jason Szep

He was the first "Survivor" -- the much-vilified, nude-fishing champion of the first series in the hit reality-television show. Now, Richard Hatch faces the challenge of a lifetime to avoid federal prison.

Hatch, who claimed the $1 million jackpot on "Survivor" on a South Pacific island in 2000, plans to plead innocent to charges of tax evasion and bank fraud announced against him this week, his lawyer said on Friday.

"This is a publicity scheme and it's disgusting," attorney Michael Minns said, adding that Hollywood and the federal government lacked clear tax guidelines for winners of reality TV shows.

Prosecutors accuse Hatch, a motivational speaker, of failing to report the $1 million winnings in 2000 and about $391,000 he earned from half a dozen other sources.

The 10-count indictment says Hatch prepared but failed to file tax returns for 2000 which concluded he owed about $442,000 and that he also pocketed $36,500 in personal appearance money given to him for charitable donations.

If convicted on all counts, the 44-year-old Newport, Rhode Island, native would face a maximum fine of $1.35 million and 73 years in prison.

Hatch was viewed by some as a brash, manipulative schemer but grudgingly admired by others for his savvy and determination to win. He and other contestants on the first "Survivor" helped launch reality shows as a television phenomenon.

The indictment follows a grand jury investigation that began in March when Hatch backed out of a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to two tax evasion charges that carried a maximum 10-year jail sentence and a $500,000 fine.

Minns said CBS, which broadcast the show, should have withheld federal taxes because the network should have classified him as an employee under California law. He said the federal government also must shoulder some blame.

"They need to develop some specific treasury regulation rules like they have on gambling, lotteries and things like that, because there is mass confusion on it," said Minns.

CBS, a unit of Viacom Inc., has said Hatch was responsible for declaring his winnings and paying his taxes.

Hatch was not immediately available for comment. Minns said he was in Houston helping refugees from Hurricane Katrina.

[d-o-b]

Stupid ass!!! How do you not pay taxes on something EVERYBODY knows you won?????

[d-o-b]

You have to add another option to that poll:

"He will get his ass more than kicked within the first day"

[Tubby]

'Survivor' Hatch Guilty in Tax Case

By RAY HENRY, Associated Press Writer

Richard Hatch, who won $1 million in the debut season of the reality show "Survivor," was found guilty Wednesday of failing to pay taxes on his winnings and taken straight to jail.

Hatch remained calm as the court clerk read the verdict. He waved goodbye to family members, then was handcuffed and taken into custody after U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said he was a potential flight risk.

The charges carry up to 13 years in prison. Torres said he expected a sentence of between 33 months and 41 months, but it could be longer because prosecutors accuse Hatch of committing perjury during his testimony. Sentencing was scheduled for April 28.

Hatch, 44, was also convicted of evading taxes on $327,000 he earned as co-host of a Boston radio show and $28,000 in rent on property he owned.

Hatch's lawyer, John MacDonald, said he would appeal the verdict, adding that Hatch knew it was possible he would go to jail.

"Rich has been going through this now for three years and he's prepared himself mentally and emotionally for this date," MacDonald said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Reich said prosecutors were pleased with the verdict.

Torres said Hatch never accounted for a significant part of his money, including the "Survivor" prize, which he said could be used to flee.

Near the end of the trial, an explanation for Hatch's failure to pay taxes was raised by his lawyer — but never mentioned in the jury's presence. Hatch's lawyer, Michael Minns, said Hatch caught fellow contestants cheating and struck a deal with the show's producers to pay his taxes if he won. But Hatch was never asked about the allegation when he testified.

Instead, Minns told jurors Hatch was the "world's worst bookkeeper" and said his client never meant to do anything wrong.

Hatch testified that he thought producers were supposed to pay his "Survivor" taxes, and said the donations he took from his charity were far less than the money he had already poured into it.

One juror, Robert Paquette, said in a telephone interview the jury believed Hatch had legitimate questions about who was responsible for paying his "Survivor" taxes. But he said Hatch crossed the line when he didn't report income from his rental property and radio show.

"Even if you take the `Survivor' money out of there, there was still a lot of evidence," Paquette said.

Hatch was acquitted of seven bank, mail and wire fraud charges that related to his charity, Horizon Bound, an outdoors program he planned to open for troubled youth. Prosecutors claimed he spent the money on personal expenses, including tips to a limousine driver, dry cleaning and tens of thousands of dollars worth of improvements to a house he owned.

More than five years after winning, Hatch remains reality TV's most famous villain, the man viewers loved to hate. He first captured their attention for shedding his clothes on "Survivor," prompting David Letterman to nickname him "the fat naked guy."

But he made the biggest impression — and won the show — by scheming his way to the top. He reveled as squabbles among his fellow contestants thinned their ranks, connived with teammates to stick together, then pitted his allies against each other.

Early on, he used his success on the show to get more work, including a "Got Milk?" ad and an appearance on "Survivor All-Stars" — where he was promptly voted off by fellow contestants.

He also appeared on TV game shows, including "The Weakest Link." That appearance, made on behalf of Horizon Bound, netted a $10,000 donation to his charity — money prosecutors said was among the funds misused.

But Hatch's shrewdness did not serve him well in the legal world. A year ago, prosecutors offered him a deal: plead guilty to two counts of tax evasion and they would recommend less than the maximum 10-year sentence.

After initially agreeing, Hatch walked away, retaining Minns as his lawyer and appearing on NBC's "Today" show to claim that CBS was supposed to pay the taxes.

Prosecutors responded with a grand jury, which indicted Hatch on 10 counts carrying up to 73 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

During the trial, prosecutors called various witnesses, including "Survivor" executive producer Mark Burnett.

Burnett testified that Hatch's "Survivor" contract stated he would have to pay taxes on his prize. Minns never asked him about the cheating allegation, and Burnett and CBS declined to comment.

[JN]

I still don't get this one. I mean, yes, I understand the guy pocketed all the money (including some meant for charity), didn't pay any taxes and then (love this part!) claimed to be a lousy bookkeeper. Ah-duh! Doh

The part I don't get is CBS and/or Mark Burnett just handing him a check for a million dollars. My understanding is that when you win cash and prizes on a game show (which honestly, removing all the hype, is what Survivor and its ilk are), the producers all have it down to a science how much money to withhold for taxes. They do this for every Joe Blow who wins a couple of thousand on Wheel of Fortune: did they really neglect to do this for what was (as d-o-b points out) the most publicized TV win of the year (if not the decade)? Not that I think the "naked fat guy" is blameless ... he's a disingenuous slimeball, IMHO ... it's just that on one of the smaller details of this story, I'm puzzled by the administrivia aspect of it.

Anyway, I bet that's a mistake that won't happen again!

[Steve]

I still don't get this one. I mean, yes, I understand the guy pocketed all the money (including some meant for charity), didn't pay any taxes and then (love this part!) claimed to be a lousy bookkeeper. Ah-duh! Doh

The part I don't get is CBS and/or Mark Burnett just handing him a check for a million dollars. My understanding is that when you win cash and prizes on a game show (which honestly, removing all the hype, is what Survivor and its ilk are), the producers all have it down to a science how much money to withhold for taxes. They do this for every Joe Blow who wins a couple of thousand on Wheel of Fortune: did they really neglect to do this for what was (as d-o-b points out) the most publicized TV win of the year (if not the decade)? Not that I think the "naked fat guy" is blameless ... he's a disingenuous slimeball, IMHO ... it's just that on one of the smaller details of this story, I'm puzzled by the administrivia aspect of it.

Anyway, I bet that's a mistake that won't happen again!

I'm sure the producers know what they were doing. I don't know that they can force him to have the taxes withheld, and he sounds like the type that would "opt out" of having them withheld.

[JN]

I don't know that they can force him to have the taxes withheld, and he sounds like the type that would "opt out" of having them withheld.... and now we can see why!!! ;)

[Tubby]

"Survivor" champ jailed over taxes


By Richard C. Lewis


Richard Hatch, the first winner of the hit reality-television show "Survivor," was sentenced on Tuesday to four years and three months in federal prison for tax evasion.

Once described by a fellow contestant as a "snake," the $1 million jackpot winner on "Survivor" in 2000 also was ordered to undergo psychological counseling upon release and file amended income tax returns for 2000 and 2001 that fully reflect his winnings.

U.S. District Court Judge Ernest Torres said he had increased the sentence above a term suggested in a January trial because he determined Hatch had lied repeatedly about his earnings, taxes, use of charitable funds and extent of property.

"His testimony is replete with statements that are flatly contradicted by credible witnesses and documented evidence," Torres told the courtroom.

Hatch, wearing a prison-issued orange jumpsuit with his legs shackled but his hands uncuffed, said he could explain every statement he made during the trial.

"I believe I've been completely truthful and completely forthcoming throughout this entire process," he said.

It was unclear whether Hatch would appeal the punishment.

He was acquitted in January on seven of 10 counts brought against him, including bank, mail and wire fraud charges. The 45-year-old Newport, Rhode Island, native could have faced a maximum fine of $1.35 million and 73 years in prison if he had been convicted on all counts.

The motivational speaker was found guilty of failing to pay taxes on $1.43 million he earned from "Survivor" and about half a dozen other sources.

Hatch, who frequently paraded around nude on the reality show set on a South Pacific island, was viewed by some as a brash, manipulative schemer, but grudgingly admired by others for his savvy and determination to win.

He and other contestants on the first "Survivor" helped launch reality shows as a TV phenomenon.

A grand jury investigation began in March 2005 when Hatch backed out of a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to two tax evasion charges that carried a maximum 10-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine.

His lawyers had said CBS, which broadcast the show, should have withheld federal taxes because the network should have classified him as an employee under California law. He said the federal government also must shoulder some blame.

CBS has said Hatch was responsible for declaring his winnings and paying his taxes.

[dianepmny]

I don't care. I hated Battlestar Gallactica.

[Steveo 90]

bite your tongue diane......battle star was teh rokerz

[Tubby]

I don't care. I hated Battlestar Gallactica.


questionma questionma questionma questionma questionma

[Steveo 90]

questionma questionma questionma questionma questionma


a different richard hatch(the actor) played apalo on the original battle star


he is even in the new version