April (Web-only) 2004

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IRS says "Dr. Dino" isn't paying his taxes
Kent Hovind is a creationist who is pretty well known among other creationists—he was the representative for the six-day literalist position in a widely circulated 2000 debate with Hugh Ross on the John Ankerberg Show—but he's not every creationist's favorite spokesman.

For example, Answers in Genesis, one of the leading creationist organizations, called him a "talented creationist speaker … with reasonably orthodox understandings of Genesis," but criticized his use of "material that is not sound scientifically." (This led to a bit of a dispute between Hovind and the group.)

He's also had trouble with the law, having been charged with assault, battery, and burglary (the charges were dropped), and faces other charges over his refusal to get building permits for his properties.

Now Hovind, who goes by the name "Dr. Dino" and runs Dino Adventure Land, Faith Baptist Church, and Creation Science Evangelism in Pensacola, Florida, is being investigated by the IRS for tax evasion.

IRS agent Scott Schneider said Hovind's businesses and church don't have either a business license or tax-exempt status as nonprofit enterprises.

"Since 1997, Hovind has engaged in financial transactions indicating sources of income and has made deposits to bank accounts well in excess of $1 million per year during some of these years, which would require the filing of federal income taxes," Schneider said, according to the Pensacola News-Journal.

Hovind says he's being persecuted, and his lawyer seems to be making the same case as Hovind did about those building permits: he doesn't need to follow the law since his religious enterprises are "entirely separate from secular authorities."

Abduction and murder ...