US govt wins right to snaffle Edward Snowden's $5m+ book royalties, speech fees – and all future related earnings

The US government's Department of Justice has won its multi-million-dollar claim to Edward Snowden's Permanent Record book royalties as well as any future related earnings. A federal district court in eastern Virginia this week ruled that Uncle Sam was entitled to the proceeds of Snowden's bestseller, an estimated $5.2m, and " …

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Look on the bright side!

In the US these days this means that Snowden can claim a massive tax deduction for this "loss of income" - OK, so it's not as much as Trumps losses but it does mean that Snowden can claim a big refund from Uncle Sam, and any money he earns in future will be nontaxable by the US.

[Dave314159ggggdffsdds]

Re: Look on the bright side!

Nope. He'll have to pay taxes on the confiscated earnings, though.

[DS999]

Re: Look on the bright side!

No, you only pay taxes on actual income. You don't pay taxes on income you never received.

[skeptical i]

speaking fees?

As was pointed out above, Uncle Sam can certainly lean on the publishers of Mr. Snowden's book to garnish royalties, but the speaking fees would be harder to round up, wouldn't they? Maybe any U.S.-based company or university/college could be coerced (loss of contracts or federal funding, threats of audits just because), but entities not domiciled in Amurka?

[Colin Bain]

Some are more equal than others

So the US can spend oodles of resources on one man's relatively meagre earnings, but cannot track or trace the billions of corporate tax avoidances by Multinational companies and individuals. Oh but wait, they also donate to the politicians, I forgot that was how it works in the supposedly greatest democracy.