Bobby Thompson: $100M Navy charity scammer to be sentenced in Ohio
Last edited Mon Dec 16, 2013, 01:07 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: Associated Press, WCPO in Cincinnati
THOMAS J. SHEERAN Associated Press
Posted: Dec 16, 2013 Updated: 3 hours ago
CLEVELAND -- A determined fundraiser who rubbed elbows with powerful politicians while masterminding a $100 million, cross-country Navy veterans charity fraud could face the rest of his life in prison.
The defendant, who identifies himself as 67-year-old Bobby Thompson but who authorities say is Harvard-trained attorney John Donald Cody, was scheduled to be sentenced Monday.
The Ohio attorney general's office, which handled his trial, asked the judge in a filing last week to sentence him to 41 years in prison. In addition, the prosecution recommended a $6.3 million fine.
....
Only a fraction of the $100 million was found. When he was arrested, authorities found fake IDs and a suitcase with $980,000 in cash.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Read more: http://www.wcpo.com/news/state/state-ohio/bobby-thompson-100m-navy-charity-scammer-to-be-sentenced-in-ohio
Associated Press
After a six-week jury trial, Bobby Thompson was convicted {on November 14} in Cleveland on 23 charges of fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
Two newspapers have been on top of this: the Roanoke Times, and the Tampa Bay Times.
The article goes on to say:
Records show the defendant had showered politicians, often Republicans, with political donations.
Politicians who received donations from him, according to campaign finance filings, include George W. Bush and former presidential contenders Mitt Romney, John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani.
Maybe so, but "Thompson" worked with members of both major political parties in the furtherance of his scam.
You can read more about the guy by searching here:
http://www.tampabay.com/search/?q=bobby+thompson
From Roanoke.com, the website of the Roanoke Times:
The Bobby Thompson trial begins today UPDATED
http://blogs.roanoke.com/dancasey/2013/09/the-bobby-thompson-trial-begins-today/
More than three years ago, reporter Mike Sluss and I broke the story about how a con man made $67,500 in campaign contributions to Virginia lawmakers. His putative name was Bobby Thompson, and no kidding, with those 2009 contributions Thompson bought himself a 2010 law enacted by the Virginia General Assembly. It allowed him to continue scamming Virginians. Today, Bobby Thompson goes on trial on fraud charges in Cleveland, Ohio. His real name is John Donald Cody. Hes a UVa and Harvard Law graduate with a background in military intelligence, and he faces up to 30 years in prison. Last week it was announced that the many and varied campaign contributions Cody made as Bobby Thompson would play no role in the upcoming trial. Lets look back on events regarding those.
....
Here are the Virginia lawmakers and the campaign contributions they received from Bobby Thompson:
Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, who was then running for Attorney General (and is now running for governor): $55,500
Bob McDonnell, a Republican who had resigned his Attorney Generals post and was running for governor: $5,000
House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford: $2,000
Del. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, who chaired the General Laws Committee: $2,000
Then Del. Tom Gear, R-Hampton, who chaired a subcommittee of the General Laws Committee: $2,000
Then Sen. Patsy Ticer, D-Alexandria: $1,000
BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(57,586 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x482819
Fake Charity Scammer And GOP Donor 'Bobby Thompson' Indicted
Rachel Slajda
The Ohio attorney general's office announced this month that a grand jury had indicted an alleged charity scammer, who donated tens of thousands to conservative pols, on charges of money laundering and grand theft.
The man, known as "Bobby Thompson," allegedly operated a charity called U.S. Navy Veterans Association from 2003 to 2010. The charity took in millions, and Thompson allegedly pocketed some 90 percent of the cash.
He used some of the money to make huge donations to conservative political candidates, including $55,000 to Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and $10,000 to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). Both have given the donations away to (presumably real) charities, and there's no indication they knew the money was coming from a scammer.
He also liked to go to fundraisers and meet and greets, where he could shake hands and pose with Republican elites.
BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)but I knew his name.
jsr
(7,712 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(57,586 posts)http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/navy-vet-scammer-bobby-thompson-28-years/story?id=21232519
Dec. 16, 2013
By BRIAN ROSS, ANGELA M. HILL and MATTHEW MOSK
An Ohio judge today sentenced the mastermind of a $100 million charity scam, who had become a major Republican campaign donor, to 28 years in prison.
John Donald Cody, who operated under the pseudonym Commander Bobby Thompson, was fined more than $6 million in addition to the prison sentence for overseeing a bogus charity called the U.S. Navy Veterans Association, which preyed on people's sympathy for American military veterans at a time of war.
The charges of theft, fraud, money laundering and the use of false identities stemmed from Cody's stewardship of the organization, which raised millions, but when examined by authorities, offered little proof that money was used to assist veterans.
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28-year sentence in Ohio in $100M charity scam
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NAVY_VETS_SCAM_CHARGES
Dec 16, 9:58 AM EST
28-year sentence in Ohio in $100M charity scam
By THOMAS J. SHEERAN
Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A judge handed down a 28-year prison sentence Monday to a man convicted of masterminding a $100 million, cross-country Navy veterans charity fraud.
Judge Steven Gall imposed the sentence on the defendant who identifies himself as 67-year-old Bobby Thompson. Authorities say is Harvard-trained attorney John Donald Cody.
The Ohio attorney general's office, which handled his trial, asked the judge in a filing last week to sentence him to 41 years in prison. In addition, the prosecution recommended a $6.3 million fine. Judge Steven Gall fined him $6 million.
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28-year sentence in Ohio in $100M charity scam
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/12/28year-sentence-ohio-100m-charity-scam
jsr
(7,712 posts)Should have been more, but it looks like he'll die in prison.
Stuart G
(38,439 posts)I read about this scam about two years ago. What a crook.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)I refuse to believe this assclown acted alone and independently...