Creator of BitCoin and Owner of Silk Road Exchange Website Arrested on Federal Charges for Drugs, Attempted Homicide Federal agents have officially seized and shut down the Silk Road, a billion-dollar website that operated using its own currency called BitCoins, and arrested its creator on serious federal charges. The government has been attempting to seize the website for years because it allegedly operated as a huge black market, notorious particularly for the sale of illegal drugs, fake drivers’ licenses, hacking services, and … [Read more...]
SC State University Chairman’s Federal Kickback Trial Delayed
October 9, 2013 by
Former Board Chairman for SC State University Sees Another Delay In Federal Kickback Trial The federal kickback trial for the former board chairman for South Carolina State University should have started this month, October, but has instead been set back again to January 2014. US Judge David Norton agreed to the continuance motion put forth by Jonathon Pinson and his codefendant, Greenville-area businessman Eric Robinson. The defendants’ attorney said they needed additional time to review “voluminous discovery” and prepare for the … [Read more...]
Key Witness in Brett Parker Case Faces Federal Fraud Charges
October 1, 2013 by
Former Financial Advisor to Parker Family Faces Federal Fraud Charges The US Securities and Exchange Commission has accused a Lexington County accountant, who was a key witness in both the criminal and gambling trials against Brett Parker, of federal fraud charges involving illegal profit from the assets of terminally ill people. Ben Staples, 63, reportedly victimized 44 dying people from 2008 to 2012, and converted about $6.5 million in the victims’ assets to his personal use, according to the federal fraud charges. The civil complaint … [Read more...]
Federal Judge Sides with Lance Armstrong’s False Claims
September 30, 2013 by
Lance Armstrong Gets Judicial Approval for False Claims in Books A group of former Lance Armstrong fans took the professional cyclist to court over claims in his books that turned out to be false, but on Tuesday, September 10th, they lost the False Claims case in California. US District Court Judge Morrison England sided with Lance Armstrong and the defendants, who claimed that any false statements made in Armstrong’s books were protected First Amendment free speech, and not a violation of the False Claims Act. "The Court concludes, … [Read more...]
US Charges 7 People with Securities Fraud in Biofuels Scam
September 26, 2013 by
Three Companies and Seven People Charged by US Government for $100 Million Securities Fraud Scam in Biofuel Business On Wednesday, September 18th, federal prosecutors announced that a former Henry County, Indiana biofuel company’s owners and executives, along with two execs from a New Jersey biofuels company, would be charged with securities fraud for false claims regarding biofuels taxes and legislation. Allegedly, the biofuel scam cheated victims out of $100 million total. The securities fraud allegations are the largest in Indiana’s … [Read more...]
Defendants in Illegal Gambling Trial Found Guilty
September 25, 2013 by
Illegal Gambling Operators Including Brett Parker Found Guilty, Await Sentencing After five hours of deliberation, a jury found the three defendants in South Carolina’s federal illegal gambling case guilty. Judge Cameron McGowan Currie will sentence Brett Parker, his father Jack, and business associate Douglas E. Taylor, in three months. Meanwhile, Brett Parker will remain in prison, serving his life sentence for the double homicide of his wife, Tammy Jo Parker, and business associate and family friend Bryan Capnerhurst. As part of his … [Read more...]
First Witness in Federal Illegal Gambling Trial Testifies
September 25, 2013 by
First Witness in Brett Parker Illegal Gambling Operation Trial Says He Gave Money to Parker’s Wife A gambler who placed bets with Brett Parker’s illegal gambling ring testified to a federal jury on Monday, September 16th, that he handed his gambling money to Brett Parker’s wife, Tammy. Harold “Hal” Saxby started placing bets with Brett Parker after the two met at a fantasy football draft in 2006. Saxby testified that he lost somewhere between $100,000 and $130,000 to Parker’s illegal gambling operation over the years, and to settle those … [Read more...]
Ohio Mom Faked Son’s Illness in Cancer Scam
September 23, 2013 by
Single Mother from Ohio Charged with Felony Child Endangerment for Using Son in Cancer Scam An Ohio woman has been arrested on child endangerment charges for using her son as part of a cancer scam that landed her with money and gifts from generous online donors, according to police. Emily Creno-King, 31, allegedly pretended to friends, family, and anonymous benefactors online through Facebook, that her 4-year-old son JJ had cancer and was undergoing treatment. According to the felony child endangerment charges, she shaved his head, made him … [Read more...]
Brett Parker Federal Illegal Gambling Trial Begins
September 23, 2013 by
Illegal Gambling Trial for Irmo Bookie, His Father, and a Third Employee Begins on September 15th Brett Parker’s federal illegal gambling trial began Monday, September 15th. His father, Jack Parker, and a third bookie named Douglas E. Taylor, are also defendants in the trial. Parker has already received life in prison after being convicted of the double homicide of his wife, Tammy Jo Parker, and his friend/business parker, Bryan Capnerhurst. However, that trial was for state-level criminal charges. The upcoming trial is for federal illegal … [Read more...]
Second-Largest Dog Fighting Case Leads to Arrests and Federal Charges
August 27, 2013 by
Over 350 Dogs Removed, $500,000 in Cash Seized in Massive Dog Fighting Bust A multiagency investigation into a massive multi-state dog fighting ring has led to 10 federal indictments for violating the dog fighting statute, as well as the gambling statute. Twelve people across Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Mississippi were investigated, landing ten of them with 30 federal indictments. The indictments allege that between 2009 and 2013, individuals conspired to promote and sponsor dog fighting across much of the Southeast, as well as possess, … [Read more...]
