Opens in a new tab

Racer Castroneves cleared of tax charges

April 17, 2009

Helio castroneves Helio Castroneves, the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and Dancing With the Stars champ, will be back on the race track this weekend. A Miami federal jury acquitted him of six tax evasion charges this afternoon.

Castroneves' sister, Katiucia, was cleared of the same charges. The siblings' lawyer, Alan Miller, also left the courthouse a free man.

Jurors did, however, deadlock on the conspiracy charge against the brother and sister. There's a chance that federal prosecutors could push for another trial on that charge. But don't bet on it.

Helio, Katiucia and Miller had been accused of using Panamanian and Dutch companies from 1999 to 2004 to conceal $5 million that the Brazilian-born racer received from the Penske Racing Team, as well as another $530,000 he got from a former sponsor in Brazil.

If he had been convicted on all counts, Castroneves could have faced at least six years in prison.

Now, however, a happier Helio — and that's saying a lot, because he's one of the most ebullient athletes I've ever seen — is on his way to Southern California. He'll be back behind the wheel of his  No. 3 IndyCar in time for practice and qualifying tomorrow for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Share:

The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

Latest Posts
IRS sending refunds to families that claimed adoption tax credit carryforwards

October 18, 2026

Tax reform changes to the adoption tax credit meant some families didn’t get the new…

Read More
TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
Leave the first comment