Well it wasn't because he was black. He used a different defense which was bogus. I thought he was unfairly punished (as I do about most IRS scofflaws). Pay a fine, do some community work plus interest on back taxes . . maybe, but jail time? No.
The IRS likes to make landmark jail sentences to scare the rest of us.
In the Sacramento area a business owner was taking $50.00 per week from the cash till for personal use. He ended up with a five year jail sentence. He could not plead down. Landmark.
Even if there is no withholding, they got you with 1099s and bank deposits. You have to file.
It's getting harder and harder to go 100% cash. Just about every hooker prosecution has a tax angle. The pandering charges are dropped, but they deposited cash in their bank account without tax filing returns.
Unless there is mass disobedience, the IRS will always win.