Goldberg defends jailed Snipes

Whoopi Goldberg has claimed that actor Wesley Snipes was sent to prison to "set an example", WENN reports.

Blade star Snipes was jailed for three years after being convicted on three misdemeanour counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns.

Goldberg, 52, said that Snipes was being used as an example by the US government to prevent others from committing tax offences.

Goldberg is quoted as saying: "This is not unusual. With tax evasion, [the IRS] gets very, very agitated and if you're famous they are putting you behind some kind of bar."