Friday, July 14, 2006

Doctor Dino Busted

I saw this in the news and didn't get the full impact of it at first. You know, it was like, Preacher Arrested for Tax Evasion, and who would read that?

But now I see it's more fun than I thought.
A Pensacola evangelist who owns the defunct Dinosaur Adventure Land in Pensacola was arrested Thursday on 58 federal charges, including failing to pay $473,818 in employee-related taxes and making threats against investigators.

Of the 58 charges, 44 were filed against Kent Hovind and his wife, Jo, for evading bank reporting requirements as they withdrew $430,500 from AmSouth Bank between July 20, 2001, and Aug. 9, 2002.
Evangelist arrested on federal charges


Doesn't it make it better that this guy runs "the defunct Dinosaur Adventure Land in Pensacola?"

Do you remember what Dino Adventure Land is was?
Kent Hovind, who often calls himself "Dr. Dino," has been sparring with the IRS for at least 17 years on his claims that he is employed by God, receives no income, has no expenses and owns no property.

"The debtor apparently maintains that as a minister of God, everything he owns belongs to God and he is not subject to paying taxes to the United States on money he receives for doing God's work," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Lewis Killian Jr. wrote when he dismissed a claim from Hovind in 1996.

Hovind, an avowed creationist, has widely publicized his "standing offer" to pay $250,000 to anyone who can provide scientific evidence of evolution.

"No one has ever observed a dog produce a non-dog," Hovind once wrote in reply to a New York Times article.

Woo-hoo! I wonder how often this guy writes in our comments section.

Just joking, Anon. You sound lots smarter than that.




So how's a guy like this make off with all that money?
In the indictment unsealed Thursday, a grand jury alleges that Kent Hovind failed to pay $473,818 in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes on employees at his Creation Science Evangelism/Ministry between March 31, 2001, and Jan. 31, 2004.

As part of the ministry, Hovind operated the Dinosaur Adventure Land at 5800 N. Palafox St., which included rides, a museum and a science center. He also sold literature, videos, CDs and other materials and provided lecture services and live debates for a fee.

The indictment alleges Kent Hovind paid his employees in cash and labeled them "missionaries" to avoid payroll tax and FICA requirements.

Hey, I'm thinking. Years ago, like twenty years ago, somebody gave me a card that made me a Pontiff in the Discordian Church. They said that with this card I could actually perform marriages and stuff. I never did, but, do you suppose I could, like, stop paying taxes, too?
On Thursday, a message on the Dinosaur Adventure Land telephone welcomed visitors to the place "where dinosaurs and the Bible meet" and stated that the museum and science center were closed temporarily.

The indictment also says the Hovinds' made cash withdrawals from AmSouth Bank in a manner that evaded federal requirements for reporting cash transactions.

The withdrawals were for $9,500 or $9,600, just below the $10,000 starting point for reporting cash transactions.

Most of the withdrawals were days apart. For example, the indictment shows three withdrawals of $9,500 each on July 20, July 23 and July 26 in 2001.

I saw that one. Joe Friday caught them in the end.
Over Kent Hovind's protests, the judge took away his passport and guns Hovind claimed belonged to his church.

Hovind argued that he needs his passport to continue his evangelism work. He said "thousands and thousands" are waiting to hear him preach in South Africa next month.

But [judge Miles] Davis agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Heldmyer, who argued that "like-minded people" might secret Hovind away if he left the country.

As for the guns, Davis said "ownership was not the issue."

The article does not mention that the judge was twirling his index finger beside his temple and rolling his eyes while he said this.

And, as a musician I am finding a certain, you know, coolness in the fact that the judge is Miles Davis.



In April, Circuit Judge Michael Allen ordered the buildings at Dinosaur Adventure Land closed because Hovind failed to obtain a building permit during the 2002 construction. The outdoor theme park was allowed to stay open.

Members of Creation Science Evangelism said at the time that building permits violated their "deeply held" religious beliefs.

Yeah, man, this sounds like something my kids would come up with. "Dad, I just can't do this. Algebra is against my religion."

"Dad, my religion requires me to hang out at the Regal until two in the morning with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents."

"Dad, my religion requires that my boyfriend has to stay with us until his parents let him move back in."

10 Comments:

Blogger Orin Ryssman said...

In a word: strange.

Apparently he never read the New Testament passage that reads,

"And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s."
Luke 20:25

If I were the judge that would be the passage I would read at sentencing....along with the quote by US Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization."

July 15, 2006 5:35 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wonder if Richard PFOX Cohen pays income taxes on the "coaching donations" he requires clients to pay to his International Healing Foundation for their man-hugging, pillow whacking therapy.

July 15, 2006 8:41 AM  
Blogger digger said...

I grew up in Pensacol. It's always nice to hear about hometown folks making it big.

rrjr

July 15, 2006 3:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Right on, if people don't pay there income tax than who is going to pay JimK to host this bloog? I mean if Jimk had a real job than he would not have the time or the recorces to be TTF's one man band.

July 16, 2006 5:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does the evident hatred toward creationists displayed here qualify TTF as a hate group?

July 17, 2006 8:02 AM  
Blogger andrear said...

Hatred toward creationists? No, more like pity. Is there anyone who actually went to a real school who think the world started 6000 years ago? That is so sad. I would like to help them get an education- I mean I sent money to educate girls in Afghanistan and rebuild schools in Sri Lanka and the Katrina areas. I can do the same for creationists.

July 19, 2006 3:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Hatred toward creationists? No, more like pity. Is there anyone who actually went to a real school who think the world started 6000 years ago? That is so sad. I would like to help them get an education-"

Actually, there are creationists of all varieties. Some believe things started six thousand years ago, some billions of years ago, some even believe in evolution. The only things they have in common is they believe God started it all and they are more throughly familiar with the theory of evolution than most people.

You may genuinely feel sorry for them, but what I see displayed in this TTF post is hatred. Jim's doesn't just disagree with him, he rejoices that they're in legal trouble.

H.A.

July 19, 2006 4:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WOW, I AGREE WITH THE HATE GROUP, THIS IS DIFFIENTLY ONE, AND ARE WE ALL NOT BY LAW ENTITLED TO OUR FREEDOM OF BELIEF AND OPINIONS? EVERYONE WANTS TO TAKE GOD OUT OF EVERYTHING, WHEN ALL GOD DOES IS STRETCH OUT HIS ARMS AND DIE FOR YOU CAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR YOU. LIKE GOD'S WORD SAYS, "EVERY KNEE WILL BOW EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. HE IS THE CREATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 23, 2007 1:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My heart is sad for Kent. Although I don't agree with every thing he says. I find that he is correct in a lot of his bible understanding of Creation. It sadden me also to think that many people who take the name of christ and say they belive in God who
"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" Hebrews 1:2
That many of them side with the nonbelivers and rally with them in the unlawful jalling of this man and others who have stood up aginst a unlawfull tax system that has made examples out of people like Kent to keep the rest of US in fear of them... the IRS and the many other gov. agencies. Which most of us writing here would never have the courage to do.

November 24, 2007 1:53 AM  
Anonymous On Fire said...

Praise God for Kent Hovind. Finally, some Christian is standing up against the principalities and powers of this world.
I have met Kent Hovind, and though I am not saying he is perfect, he is a Christ follower, and he has equipped the body of Christ.

He is still equipping the body even while he is in prison. And you can't stop him, or any of us Christians.

Just know, that one day, I and you will stand before a Holy and Just God, along with Kent Hovind, and we will have to give an account for everything we have done wrong.

Will you be innocent, or guilty?

December 11, 2007 10:39 AM  

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