TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - ActorWesley Snipes, who starred in the "Blade" movie series, was charged with tax fraud on Tuesday in an indictment that alleges he illegally claimed refunds of almost $12 million.A warrant has been issued for Snipes' arrest, but the actors whereabouts were unknown, Paul Perez, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, told a news conference in Tampa.Perez said a federal grand jury indicted Snipes, who once lived in Windermere, Florida, along with co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn of Sorrento, Florida, and Douglas Rosile, of Venice, Florida.Rosile has surrendered to authorities and Kahn is believed to be in Panama, Perez said.Snipes' spokesman was not immediately available to comment.In addition to the three-film "Blade" series, Snipes, 44, has appeared in more than three dozen movies including "White Men Can't Jump," "Rising Sun" and "U.S. Marshals."The indictment alleges that Snipes did not file federal income tax returns from 1999 through 2004 and conspired with Kahn and Rosile to file two amended returns for Snipes for 1996 and 1997 fraudulently claiming tax refunds of almost $12 million.
