Helio Castroneves, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion and celebrity champion of the popular TV series Dancing with the Stars could face up to 30 years in prison. Castroneves is charged with income tax fraud and evasion, and jury selection for his trial began March 2 in a Miami, Florida, federal courtroom. The trial for Castroneves, an Indy 500 fan favorite and a charmer on the dance floor, is expected to last up to six weeks.
The Charges
Castronoves was indicted in October 2008 on six counts of income tax evasion and one count income tax fraud. He is accused of failing to pay income tax on $5 million he allegedly received from the IndyCar racing team he drives for, Penske Racing Inc. Castronoves is said to have hid the funds in an offshore corporation in the Netherlands. He is further accused of failing to report over half a million dollars worth of income from Coimex, a Brazilian import and export company, and of filing false federal income tax returns from 1999 to 2004.
Alleged Conspirators
Also facing charges of tax evasion are Katiucia Castroneves, Helio's sister and business manager, and Alan Miller, an Ohio attorney.
Helio's Claims to Fame
Castroneves has run the Indy 500 for eight years, winning the championship in 2001 and 2002, placing in the top five on five occasions, and finishing in the top ten seven times. His Indy 500 career winnings total $5,625,623.
But that's not all. In 2007, Helio charmed American TV audiences during the fifth season of the show Dancing with the Stars, claiming the title of celebrity champion. His dance partner was Julianne Hough.
