The Chinese hackers were behind scores of thefts of intellectual property from U.S. companies as well as government documents over the past five years. Now they're baaaack!Click here to see what Obama is doing about it.
Showing posts with label Corporate Crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corporate Crime. Show all posts
Monday, May 20, 2013
Chinese Hackers (criminals) are Back
The Chinese hackers were behind scores of thefts of intellectual property from U.S. companies as well as government documents over the past five years. Now they're baaaack!Click here to see what Obama is doing about it.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Conspirator gets slap on wrist
"A U.S. District Court
judge spent 20 minutes Tuesday discussing the reasons why Scott
Schuhriemen should be sent to prison for his role in one of the biggest
flipping-fraud conspiracies in Florida history." He worked for a company that artificially inflated the value of hundreds of houses and lied on mortgage applications to obtain millions in ill-gotten gains.
In the end, he was given a "slap on the wrist" for ruining people's lives and was sentenced to five years' probation. The Court ordered him to pay slightly more than $300,000 in restitution to his former employer.
Read more...
Sometimes, as we all know, it pays to be a crook.
In the end, he was given a "slap on the wrist" for ruining people's lives and was sentenced to five years' probation. The Court ordered him to pay slightly more than $300,000 in restitution to his former employer.
Read more...
Sometimes, as we all know, it pays to be a crook.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Local Kava Bar owner gets Busted
Comment Up
Three Palm Beach County men are facing federal charges for allegedly distributing the controversial substance known by names such as “Mr. Nice Guy” out of several stores in Palm Beach County.
Dylan Harrison, John Shealy and Michael Bryant have been investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement administration since March 2010, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Tuesday.
Harrison had his first court appearance on Wednesday, and is set to be arraigned Aug. 8. It is not clear from federal documents when Shealy and Bryant will have their initial court appearance. Read more...
Kavasutra’s voice mail message sums up kava fairly succintly:
“Kava is a beverage made from the root of the kava plant, harvested from various Pacific islands, perfect for relaxation, conversation, insomnia, muscle relaxation or just getting bombed. There’s no age restrictions on kava, and kava never shows on a drug test or breathalyzer.”
“Business has been good,” said Dylan Harrison, co-owner of the Kavasutra in Lake Worth. He said he is also eyeing expansion elsewhere in the county, but declined to say where" Source: PBPost May 11, 2010.
Past mug shot of Dylan Jessee Harrison
for a concealed weapon without a permit.
I will always remember this man when he came into Michelle Bell's store, 531 East, a few years ago and bragged about this stuff. I couldn't believe my ears!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Romney at Solyndra
Romney makes surprise visit to Solyndra after the solar energy company went bankrupt less than two years after receiving a $535 million loan in 2009 from the Department of Energy--reminding us of another Obama failure.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Bank of America
Comment Up
These guys are some of the very biggest assholes on Earth. They lie, cheat and steal as reflexively as addicts, they laugh at people who are suffering and don't have money, they pay themselves huge salaries with money stolen from old people and taxpayers - and on top of it all, they completely suck at banking. And yet the state won't let them go out of business, no matter how much they deserve it, and it won't slap them in jail, no matter what crimes they commit. That makes them not bankers or capitalists, but a class of person that was never supposed to exist in America: royalty.
READ MORE of what Matt Taibbi, of Rolling Stone has to sayThursday, March 15, 2012
Man and Woman shot in Lake Worth
Comment Up
Two people shot near South C Street in Lake Worth. Read about it here.
Two people shot near South C Street in Lake Worth. Read about it here.
WE ALL FEEL SAFER, RIGHT?
Friday, October 8, 2010
Scott Rothstein and Vote NO
Scott Rothstein's right-hand woman was just sentenced to 10 years in the Pen. Read about it HERE.
The entire State of Florida has been one big Ponzi scheme for these fat-cats...government bail outs for top developers who have, along with their influential deep pocket friends, crashed our economy.
If you recall, one of Rothstein's vehicles was spotted at a Vote NO rally in Fort Lauderdale. Rothstein pleaded guilty to five federal charges of racketeering, money laundering and fraud on a massive $1.2 BILLION scheme.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Bernie Madoff in Lake Worth?
Comment Up
Well, not really. Bernie is in prison for scamming people with dreams of making tons of money. He took them for a ride at a tune of $65 billion. We don’t have scams of this magnitude but we are taken for a ride almost on a yearly basis.
Why do we allow ourselves to get involved in these “money making schemes?” We are desperate and we need money and we are not alone. A vast majority of cities throughout the country are in the same boat. Smart people get scammed every day and believe that any possible source of revenue must be good. It’s not just Lake Worth.
When times are tough, the scam artists multiply and the City continues to open itself up to be stepped on and abused and taken advantage of over and over again. We can never rise from it. Staff presents proposals from vendors (salesmen) and accept all of it as gospel and we say, “Wow,” what a great idea and seldom is there any supporting documentation from anywhere--EVER-- other than from the guy coming into town wanting to take our money, selling Staff on a pipe dream that we might make—wow--$1.4 million or thereabouts (there is never any back-up on-line) on red light cameras as an example, when the proposed Budget estimates us making $100,000.
We expect Staff to bring us the facts of the matter. They don’t. Any stupid salesman can come into our city with a scheme. We need to be protected. We need to be protected from Staff that presents it to a City Commission that relies on facts and professional judgment. They vote and get us into big trouble. The FAB several months ago said it did not want vendors making presentations. So, instead, now we have Staff making presentations for them.
This is the same sort of thing that got us into the mess with Greater Bay. This is what sold us down the garden path with the Billboard Mafia. We never got the $2.310 million from them. They continued to sue us for one thing or another and we eventually settled for $765,000 less than the Contract. And we have this blight for 20 years because we fell in love with the potential of $$$ versus sense.
As Dee McNamara said last night, Florida is the SCAM capital of the country and she probably isn’t that far off.
If anyone from Staff comes to the Commission or to the Financial Advisory Board, please have all of the facts—do the homework—do the research—call the Better Business Bureau at least. Do not rely on sales pitches presented by salesmen that want to take our money for a service that will mostly be to their benefit, not ours.
Red light cameras, Money over Sense
Keep speed trap van off road
And the idea of parking stations in the five downtown parking lots is a terrible idea...that's another blog.
Well, not really. Bernie is in prison for scamming people with dreams of making tons of money. He took them for a ride at a tune of $65 billion. We don’t have scams of this magnitude but we are taken for a ride almost on a yearly basis.
Why do we allow ourselves to get involved in these “money making schemes?” We are desperate and we need money and we are not alone. A vast majority of cities throughout the country are in the same boat. Smart people get scammed every day and believe that any possible source of revenue must be good. It’s not just Lake Worth.
When times are tough, the scam artists multiply and the City continues to open itself up to be stepped on and abused and taken advantage of over and over again. We can never rise from it. Staff presents proposals from vendors (salesmen) and accept all of it as gospel and we say, “Wow,” what a great idea and seldom is there any supporting documentation from anywhere--EVER-- other than from the guy coming into town wanting to take our money, selling Staff on a pipe dream that we might make—wow--$1.4 million or thereabouts (there is never any back-up on-line) on red light cameras as an example, when the proposed Budget estimates us making $100,000.
We expect Staff to bring us the facts of the matter. They don’t. Any stupid salesman can come into our city with a scheme. We need to be protected. We need to be protected from Staff that presents it to a City Commission that relies on facts and professional judgment. They vote and get us into big trouble. The FAB several months ago said it did not want vendors making presentations. So, instead, now we have Staff making presentations for them.
This is the same sort of thing that got us into the mess with Greater Bay. This is what sold us down the garden path with the Billboard Mafia. We never got the $2.310 million from them. They continued to sue us for one thing or another and we eventually settled for $765,000 less than the Contract. And we have this blight for 20 years because we fell in love with the potential of $$$ versus sense.
As Dee McNamara said last night, Florida is the SCAM capital of the country and she probably isn’t that far off.
If anyone from Staff comes to the Commission or to the Financial Advisory Board, please have all of the facts—do the homework—do the research—call the Better Business Bureau at least. Do not rely on sales pitches presented by salesmen that want to take our money for a service that will mostly be to their benefit, not ours.
Red light cameras, Money over Sense
Keep speed trap van off road
And the idea of parking stations in the five downtown parking lots is a terrible idea...that's another blog.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Sun Recycling - Let's Dump them
They have been dumping on us; let's dump on them.
See one of the first videos William Coakley did on Sun Recycling and an interview with Joe Kroll. Never fudge an answer with a "pro." This was when Sun Recycling was in fast and furious first gear to dump waste on our 65 acre landfill that they were moving up from Broward County. The waste was highly questionable as exposed by William Coakley. They moved truck after truck on to our property and packed it down. Although Sun said it was all legitimate building debris, no one in the City did a test even when we requested and pleaded with them to do so.
Typical dump by Sun
Our landfill Contract with Sun Recycling has been a nightmare from inception. Why a City Commission agreed to do what it did, has brought bewilderment, disgust and lots of public out cry. Why would a City Commission vote to receive $1,000 a month to screw up a property that had been dormant for years and where we had spent millions of dollars to reclaim and get ready for development? The land was estimated to be worth anywhere from $150,000 an acre up to $270,000 an acre. People still talk about it three years later although it seems eons ago. We have had so many other crises since and so many bad votes from previous commissions.
Although Staff said at the time that there would be no costs to the City when agreeing to this Contract, there have been devastating costs, not only to our land that was being reclaimed but to all those residents living in the Osborne area. Sun hauled in questionable debris for months on end, all day long and ruined the land for any re-sale for development in the future unless the building was built on pilings and off the ground and then who knows.
Our Internal Auditor at the time recommended criminal charges be brought against our Finance Department Director and Public Works Director both of whom are no longer with the City. There has been nothing but corruption associated with this contract. Health issues abound in the Osborne Community and even former Commissioner Retha Lowe took multiple campaign contributions from Sun Recycling companies, some with even erroneous addresses. She was fined by Tallahassee and still, to this day, some question whether it was "pay to play." Why would any City want to get involved, again, with a company that was a party to this?
The Contract was signed by Mayor Jeff Clemens on May 25, 2007 for three years with two, three year renewals. It automatically ends if the renewal term is not agreed.
Sun Recycling's Attorney
On November 9, 2009, Sun was back in our City asking for another Contract on vegetation and bulk disposal. And what did we do? We gave them a Contract. It was presented by Staff that it would always be $1 less than Solid Waste's and Sun guaranteed that 90% of it would be recycled. Sun even agreed to extra misters to keep down the dust. I have no clue as to whom is overseeing that. Commissioner Maxwell even said that it was a "win-win" for us and that Sun was coming around to be better neighbors. Why? Because they promised to perform something?
Commissioner Jennings had asked for a meeting of the Osborne neighborhood before any contract was signed and it never happened. She brought up several reasons not to sign it. Staff pushed for this Contract and it was finally voted in by all the commission after much discussion. Mayor Varela gets off the hook as he had not yet been elected. Realizing that it is futile to go against a majority vote, I still would expect a commissioner to vote his/her conscience and not just make it a consensus.
When contracts come up before the Commission, all past problems with that vendor should be revealed. Our Commission changes every two years and some are just not informed and therefore trust Staff and the City Manager. Allowing Staff to take control has always been our problem in this City. The public speaks out but no one listens. Those who spoke out then are still doing so today. Staff, it seems, is just more credible in their eyes. We have always been little thorns in their side. This has been constant frustration for many of us who do get involved in this City.
So, after all the problems, the City Commission went with Staff's recommendation. You just don't keep doing business with a "bad neighbor." No amount of money or savings is worth it, because in the end, there is NO savings.
See Sun Sentinel's article on Sun's Illegal Dumping.
Sun Recycling had a court reporter at Tuesday night's meeting along with their attorney who spoke during public commentary. Sun Recycling's contracts with the City of Lake Worth are coming up at the next City Commission meeting.
Be sure to show up and let the Commission know what you think.
See one of the first videos William Coakley did on Sun Recycling and an interview with Joe Kroll. Never fudge an answer with a "pro." This was when Sun Recycling was in fast and furious first gear to dump waste on our 65 acre landfill that they were moving up from Broward County. The waste was highly questionable as exposed by William Coakley. They moved truck after truck on to our property and packed it down. Although Sun said it was all legitimate building debris, no one in the City did a test even when we requested and pleaded with them to do so.
Typical dump by SunOur landfill Contract with Sun Recycling has been a nightmare from inception. Why a City Commission agreed to do what it did, has brought bewilderment, disgust and lots of public out cry. Why would a City Commission vote to receive $1,000 a month to screw up a property that had been dormant for years and where we had spent millions of dollars to reclaim and get ready for development? The land was estimated to be worth anywhere from $150,000 an acre up to $270,000 an acre. People still talk about it three years later although it seems eons ago. We have had so many other crises since and so many bad votes from previous commissions.
Although Staff said at the time that there would be no costs to the City when agreeing to this Contract, there have been devastating costs, not only to our land that was being reclaimed but to all those residents living in the Osborne area. Sun hauled in questionable debris for months on end, all day long and ruined the land for any re-sale for development in the future unless the building was built on pilings and off the ground and then who knows.
Our Internal Auditor at the time recommended criminal charges be brought against our Finance Department Director and Public Works Director both of whom are no longer with the City. There has been nothing but corruption associated with this contract. Health issues abound in the Osborne Community and even former Commissioner Retha Lowe took multiple campaign contributions from Sun Recycling companies, some with even erroneous addresses. She was fined by Tallahassee and still, to this day, some question whether it was "pay to play." Why would any City want to get involved, again, with a company that was a party to this?
The Contract was signed by Mayor Jeff Clemens on May 25, 2007 for three years with two, three year renewals. It automatically ends if the renewal term is not agreed.
Sun Recycling's Attorney
On November 9, 2009, Sun was back in our City asking for another Contract on vegetation and bulk disposal. And what did we do? We gave them a Contract. It was presented by Staff that it would always be $1 less than Solid Waste's and Sun guaranteed that 90% of it would be recycled. Sun even agreed to extra misters to keep down the dust. I have no clue as to whom is overseeing that. Commissioner Maxwell even said that it was a "win-win" for us and that Sun was coming around to be better neighbors. Why? Because they promised to perform something?Commissioner Jennings had asked for a meeting of the Osborne neighborhood before any contract was signed and it never happened. She brought up several reasons not to sign it. Staff pushed for this Contract and it was finally voted in by all the commission after much discussion. Mayor Varela gets off the hook as he had not yet been elected. Realizing that it is futile to go against a majority vote, I still would expect a commissioner to vote his/her conscience and not just make it a consensus.
When contracts come up before the Commission, all past problems with that vendor should be revealed. Our Commission changes every two years and some are just not informed and therefore trust Staff and the City Manager. Allowing Staff to take control has always been our problem in this City. The public speaks out but no one listens. Those who spoke out then are still doing so today. Staff, it seems, is just more credible in their eyes. We have always been little thorns in their side. This has been constant frustration for many of us who do get involved in this City.
So, after all the problems, the City Commission went with Staff's recommendation. You just don't keep doing business with a "bad neighbor." No amount of money or savings is worth it, because in the end, there is NO savings.
See Sun Sentinel's article on Sun's Illegal Dumping.
Sun Recycling had a court reporter at Tuesday night's meeting along with their attorney who spoke during public commentary. Sun Recycling's contracts with the City of Lake Worth are coming up at the next City Commission meeting.
Be sure to show up and let the Commission know what you think.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Criminal Probe of Goldman
--------------------
News Alert: Criminal probe of Goldman goes beyond deals cited by SEC
08:42 PM EDT Friday, April 30, 2010
--------------------
The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Goldman Sachs is looking into more than just the financial transactions targeted by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s civil suit brought two weeks ago.
For more information, visit Washington Post
News Alert: Criminal probe of Goldman goes beyond deals cited by SEC
08:42 PM EDT Friday, April 30, 2010
--------------------
The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Goldman Sachs is looking into more than just the financial transactions targeted by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s civil suit brought two weeks ago.
For more information, visit Washington Post
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Godman Sachs might get Sacked
SEC sends Goldman Sachs case to proseutors for posible criminal case. Possible criminal case? What does it take these days?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
SEC vs Goldman Sachs
I have talked about corporate greed on many occasions including Goldman Sachs. Aren't we all sick to death of Goldman right about now? We bailed out financial institutions at the tune of $200 billion, with $10 billion going to Goldman Sachs. It was reported that they paid back the government last year. What was the motivation to pay us back so quickly? Was it to continue its egregious acts of fraud and its goal of huge profits derived from deception without the government looking down their shoulder? The SEC has finally stepped in and Goldman says, "The SEC’s charges are completely unfounded in law and fact.” Their stock fell 13% on Friday and again, shareholders were left holding the bag. Goldman denies that it put its own greedy interests before its investors.
The latest scandal has to do with, what else, mortgage securities. Goldman allowed Paulson & Co., a Hedge Fund, to design
I don’t know what the answer is in this country but bailouts are not helping anyone but the crooks that receive the money. Not one company on Wall Street is afraid of the SEC. And no one believes Goldman Sachs.
Those who participated in the collapse of our economy were the regulators that did not do their jobs, investors who believed, those who took out mortgages who knowingly could not afford a shack, lending institutions that gave mortgages to people who could not afford a pot to pee in, credit agencies and all those who made a commission based on the biggest fraud against the American people.
The Gold standard on Wall Street--Goldman Sachs--is "fools gold" except for its top management.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wachovia, Drug Money Laundering and the Deal
When I moved back to Florida, I first opened an account at The Mall Bank on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. This bank was eventually acquired by First Union. I then became a First Union customer. In 2001, The First Union Bank made a stock swap deal and bought Wachovia Bank keeping the name Wachovia. At the end of 2008, Wells Fargo was given federal stimulus in the amount of $25 billion and then bought Wachovia for $15.1 billion on an all stock merger. So, here I am, all these years, affiliated with the same bank, sort of.
Wachovia has always been a conservative bank paying very little interest to its customers. It has been rated as a safe bank, getting 4 stars from Bankrate.com, in spite of its risky loan portfolio. All along and unbeknown to anyone, there were some executives involved in some heavy duty hanky panky and padding their wallets even more by being part of a criminal money laundering scheme of Mexican drug profits. Can it get more criminal than this? It's no wonder we can't close the border.
The Feds have been on this case for the last 3 years and have now cut a deal with Wachovia—pay back the $160 million plus a $50 million fine and we won’t prosecute you! So, what has happened here, the citizens of the United States are once again picking up the tab and the crooks get off free! This, as well as other conditions, must be met within one year. Only in America.
Charles Steel, deputy director of the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said, “The integrity of our financial system is at stake.” Was he joking?
Bailed Out banks in Capital Purchase Program
List of Failed Banks
Wachovia has always been a conservative bank paying very little interest to its customers. It has been rated as a safe bank, getting 4 stars from Bankrate.com, in spite of its risky loan portfolio. All along and unbeknown to anyone, there were some executives involved in some heavy duty hanky panky and padding their wallets even more by being part of a criminal money laundering scheme of Mexican drug profits. Can it get more criminal than this? It's no wonder we can't close the border.
The Feds have been on this case for the last 3 years and have now cut a deal with Wachovia—pay back the $160 million plus a $50 million fine and we won’t prosecute you! So, what has happened here, the citizens of the United States are once again picking up the tab and the crooks get off free! This, as well as other conditions, must be met within one year. Only in America.
Charles Steel, deputy director of the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said, “The integrity of our financial system is at stake.” Was he joking?
Bailed Out banks in Capital Purchase Program
List of Failed Banks
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Quote of the Day
"The worst day at work is still better than the best day in prison," said the South Florida FBI’s new Corruption Chief, John Gilles.
What got the five who went to prison from Palm Beach County was all about greed. "One of the things that frustrates me the most is that these people already have everything. They have money, they have power and they have education," he said. "It just seems never to be enough."
He calls public corruption the number one crime.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
South Florida Haitians targeted
"Washington, D.C., Oct. 16, 2009 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three South Florida residents with conducting a Ponzi scheme and affinity fraud that collected at least $14.3 million from hundreds of Haitian-American investors residing in South Florida and New Jersey."
Read more about it HERE
The crooks also have an investment club web site. CLICK HERE unless your name is Kanye--would never want to lead you astray.
Read more about it HERE
The crooks also have an investment club web site. CLICK HERE unless your name is Kanye--would never want to lead you astray.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Jerk-Around
The Brazilian Court HotelThe guy who has been jerking around the City of
He won't be jerking around Attorney General Bill McCollum as he just announced that Adam’s company, Ceebraid-Signal Corporation, owes damages to 27 condo owners at the Eden Condominiums in
Ceebraid completed only 2 of the 4 buildings and closed on only 27 units out of 212 with a clubhouse, pool and gardens never completed. Why? Schlesinger is pulling the old financing excuse, the same thing he used in
Over a year ago, Schlesinger wrote to the 27 to let them know that he was turning the project into rentals and he would buy them out. Didn't happen. With multiple foreclosure actions pending in Islamorada and
Until just recently, he stored huge containers at his property at The Gulfstream Hotel which was against our Code. He never had to pay one dime other than an administrative cost. He continues to get away with murder and jerking people around.
On Friday, the State of Florida took action.
It will be a long time before we have a hotel in Lake Worth.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Do NOT mess with Whistleblowers
Comment Up
As we continue to ponder our very own employee/employer relations right here in Lake Worth with Whistleblowers and their final termination for airing their grievances, Phizer, Inc. was involved in a huge scandal involving healthcare fraud and shhhhhh--dreaded whistleblowers. No parody warranted here but this case is not just beginning as is the Utility Whistleblower case in Lake Worth; it is over. All the facts are in--Whistleblowers win a heck of a lot of money.
As we continue to ponder our very own employee/employer relations right here in Lake Worth with Whistleblowers and their final termination for airing their grievances, Phizer, Inc. was involved in a huge scandal involving healthcare fraud and shhhhhh--dreaded whistleblowers. No parody warranted here but this case is not just beginning as is the Utility Whistleblower case in Lake Worth; it is over. All the facts are in--Whistleblowers win a heck of a lot of money.
"As part of the settlement, Pfizer also has agreed to enter into an expansive corporate integrity agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. That agreement provides for procedures and reviews to be put in place to avoid and promptly detect conduct similar to that which gave rise to this matter,” the Justice Department said.
Six whistleblowers will receive payments totaling more than $102 million from the federal share of the civil recovery, the government also said."
Read the New York Times article. Don't call Tom. He will give you some sort of explanation or definition that does not apply.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Got a clunker? Better Hurry
Another Scam on the American taxpayer"The Obama administration plans to end the $3 billion "cash for clunkers" program on Monday, giving car shoppers a few more days to take advantage of big government incentives."
Read More:
Clunkers
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