An accountant for "Survivor" winner Richard Hatch testified that she told the reality TV star not to file a tax return omitting the $1 million prize he won from the show.
Testifying at Hatch's federal trial for tax frau, accountant Jodi Rodrigues said she prepared a second 2000 tax return omitting the $1 million at Hatch's request, and made him sign a statement that he understand the return was not to be filed.
Rodrigues said that the proper return she prepared showed he owed the Internal Revenue Service about $234,000. Hatch's lawyer has said that Hatch only wanted the return for comparison purposes. Her testimony came a day after accountant Richard Plotkin told jurors that he also prepared an income tax return for Hatch in 2000 and that Hatch never questioned having to pay income tax on the prize.Hatch has said that he thought CBS was responsible for paying the taxes on his winnings, though CBS and "Survivor" producers have said that Hatch was aware he had to pay. Federal prosecutors have also accused Hatch of using more than $36,000 in donations made to his charity, Horizon Bound, for personal expenses.
