Richard Hatch Pleads Not Guilty, Jeff Probst Calls Him “Delusional”

As previously reported, Richard Hatch, the first winner of Survivor, has been charged with ten criminal counts ranging from tax evasion to bank fraud to mail fraud to misusing money intended for a charity he founded. On Monday, Hatch showed up in court to plead not guilty to all counts. He was released on a $50,000 bond but his travel was restricted to Rhode Island – where the charges were filed – and Houston – where his lawyer is located.

Hatch had previously indicated that he would accept a plea deal on an earlier two counts. However, at the last minute he changed his mind and said he would not agree to it. Following that, the grand jury handed down the current ten indictments. If he is convicted now, he could face fines up to $1.35 million and the possibility of 73 years in prison!

But Hatch is definitely fighting the charge, claiming prosecutors thought he was “going to accept two years in jail for something I didn’t do.” He said, “It was absurd in the spring and it’s still absurd.”

However, it looks to outsiders like Hatch is the one being absurd. Indeed, Jeff Probst has been quoted as saying he believes “Hatch is delusional” and “out of his mind” to think he can beat this rap. I’ve got to side with Probst on this one, at least with the evidence that has been presented to the public so far.

In Hatch’s defense, his attorney said that the allegation about misusing charity funds is “absolutely untrue.” He said it was simply that Hatch was “not a very good bookkeeper” and every check he wrote was “deductible.” Hatch himself said, “I've never taken a penny from a charity, and they know it. I've always paid my taxes, and they know it. I think it’s personal at this point.”

How it is that they know he paid his taxes when such taxes don’t seem to appear on any form is a bit confusing. Indeed, the indictment went so far as to indicate that Hatch knowingly instructed accountants to submit tax returns without his Survivor winnings and other related income.

Hatch’s defense strategy is unclear at this time. The main charge is related to tax issues. The whole world saw him win a million dollars. Either he paid his taxes on it or he didn’t – period. While he has claimed that he thought CBS should have paid the taxes, CBS has said he knew full well it was up to him. I don’t see how that will bear even the slightest scrutiny.

But for now he is innocent until proven guilty. Still, if the charges are proven, Hatch may well end up as the first person ever to be inducted into the Reality TV Hall of Fame and get into the Reality TV Hall of Shame as well!

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com.

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