PROVIDENCE - Reality TV star Richard Hatch will testify during his tax-fraud trial in U.S. District Court, his lawyer said during his opening statement today.
"I'm going to tell you right now so everyone will know, you will hear directly from Richard Hatch. He will take the witness stand," Michael Minns said.
"None of you have gotten to meet the real Richard Hatch. You will meet the real Richard Hatch, and he is a very good man," Minns said of the Newport resident who won more than $1 million on the first Survivor.
Hatch is charged with two counts of tax evasion, one count of filing a false income tax return, two counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and one count of bank fraud.
Minns attributed Hatch's legal problems to bad bookkeeping. "He is the world's worst bookkeeper," Minns said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Reich revealed the government's interpretation during his opening statement today.
"The evidence will show the defendant failed to report substantial amounts of money that he knew he was supposed to ... and he intentionally decided not to," Reich said.
The trial broke for lunch at about 12:45, and the first witnesses are expected to testify this afternoon. Selection of the jury had been completed this morning.
The grand jury alleges that Hatch failed to report about $1,037,000 from Survivor in 2000 and 2001, including a Pontiac Aztec valued at $27,074 that was given to him as part of his prize.
It also alleges that Hatch failed to report $326,540 that Entercom, Boston, LLC, paid him in 2001 for appearances on The Wilde Show, a radio program on WQSX-FM; $28,104 in rental income in 2000 and 2001 from his property at 21 Annandale Rd., Newport; and $36,500 in charitable donations to Horizon Bound.
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