Hatch Concludes His Testimony, Avoids Conspiracies but Defends Use of Charity Funds

Richard Hatch concluded testimony in his own defense Monday without making any reference to a supposed Survivor conspiracy raised by his attorney Friday. Perhaps some things are too outlandish even for Hatch to say.

However, he did discuss other aspects of the allegations against him for failure to pay taxes on his million-dollar prize and other income, as well as the claims that he misused funds that were supposed to go to his charity, Horizon Bound.

Hatch claimed on the stand that he didn’t pay taxes on the million dollars after discussing it with producers, his accountant, and other contestants. What about the two letters he received from the IRS noting that he was late in filing for 2000? He said that because these letters listed several sources of income – but not his Survivor winnings – he figured that meant somebody else had paid the taxes! Mind you, he admitted that the letters stated that the list of income that came with them might not include everything.

The first Survivor winner continued to claim that he thought the show’s producers would pay the taxes. He claims he called them several times to ask about the tax issues, but they never returned his calls. It seems to me that should not have translated into assuming they’d take care of it, but maybe that’s just me. And then there was that pesky matter of the contract Hatch had signed, which producer Mark Burnett testified about earlier in the trial, noting that it said contestants had to pay their own taxes.

Hatch also testified about the money prosecutors alleged he took from Horizon Bound. He did acknowledge that he had used some money donated to the charity to write checks for personal use. But Hatch used the defense that it was okay because he had spent “far, far more than that” on the charity from his own money. I guess this goes back to the “bad bookkeeper” argument that his defense attorney brought up the first day of the trial.

In one particular line of questioning, Hatch disputed earlier testimony from a bank employee who said Hatch had altered a check made out to Horizon Bound by adding his own name so he could deposit it in his personal account. Hatch said people at the bank did the altering, and he only wanted it deposited in his own account because the charity didn’t have one yet.

As far as the work done on his home for which the prosecution claims Hatch used charity money, Hatch said the improvements were done for Horizon Bound. The driveway that was lengthened and widened? That was to accommodate a bus so he could start camping trips from his house. Landscaping? The land was leveled to allow tents to be set up. The addition of two bedrooms and a bathroom? That was for the charity, too.

By the way, Hatch admitted that Horizon Bound never actually ran any trips. The best laid plans of mice and Survivor winners, I guess. In 2002, he sold the house that had all the work done for over $862,000, which he said was a loss. Sounds more like the loss was for anybody who expected Horizon Bound to do anything.

I have to say that some of Hatch’s arguments at least sound plausible. I don’t know if I’d buy them were I on the jury, but they’re certainly better than if he had tried the whole “conspiracy” angle. I have a feeling the jury will be heading down the path to “Guilty.”

We’ll find out soon. Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday.

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

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