Denise Henderson, shown during an Aug. 29, 2004 interview in Woodbury, Minn.
Posted on 12/11/2004 3:26:11 PM PST by Libloather
Ex-beauty queen convicted of fraud
A former beauty queen who collected Social Security benefits by claiming she was disabled was sentenced yesterday to nearly four years in prison and was ordered to pay $193,000 in restitution.
Denise Henderson – Mrs Minnesota International in 1999 and Mrs Iowa International in 2001 – also must complete three years of supervision once she’s released. Defense lawyers said they will appeal. The judge instructed Henderson, 44, and her attorneys not to comment afterward. She was ordered to begin serving her three-year, 10-month prison sentence after the holidays.
In August, a federal jury found Henderson guilty of wire fraud and of making false statements and concealing information from the Social Security Administration. During her trial, Henderson’s lawyer said she suffers debilitating chronic pain from a 1995 car accident.
In a report Henderson filed in 1997, she said she had continuous back and neck pain and couldn’t move or straighten up, had migraines four or five times a week that lasted most of a day and couldn’t drive for more than 20 minutes at a time. Henderson testified she made 208 appearances as Mrs. Minnesota International in 1999 and 2000, but that because she wasn’t paid, the appearances were not work. According to her tax returns, Henderson had no income after the 1995 accident.
Denise Henderson, shown during an Aug. 29, 2004 interview in Woodbury, Minn.
SHOW US YOUR HANDCUFFS!
Beauty queen? Must be slim pickings up there.
"Kin I frisk her too Chief?"
If she was fit enough to participate in a beauty contest while claiming to be disabled, she committed fraud. To qualify for disability benefits, you have to be incapacitated to such an extent you can't do meaningful work period - like you're an invalid convalescent. Denise Henderson just wasn't smart enough to beat the system - the system caught her first.
"She was ordered to begin serving her three-year, 10-month prison sentence after the holidays."
Whereas your average Joe Blow would have been carted off right then and there.
What, a beauty queen gets special treatment? Heck, the ultimate special treatment would have been an acquittal - just in time for the holidays.
...during a well-attended press conference, Henderson's lawyer blamed his client's life of crime on the apparent shortage of suitable professional football players to marry. "I assure you, my client made every attempt to conform to the traditional path of beauty queens," he said. "She even dated, very briefly, a AAA baseball player. But he drove a Honda."
ROFL. She forgot to drop the towel! ;-)
A beauty queen couldn’t find a wealthy man to marry her just for her looks, instead of forging social security check?
Not really true - For nonviolent offenses many people have their order to begin serving pushed off for varying reasons, up-coming holidays is common -
Surely with her looks, she could have gotten in the cocktail and country club circuit. Gotta wonder why not.
"....if there is a real criminal here, it's the modeling industry," the lawyer continued. "My client, and other beauty queens, despite their wishes for world peace and ability to twirl batons, simply cannot compete with the modeling industry. I ask you, how can the average beauty queen compete against the superior intellect of today's fashion models?"
Is there a market besides prison for beautiful dumb blondes? Henderson is living proof the stereotype gets you where you deserve.
ROFL!!!!
Dee and Ken's professional careers crossed paths for 15 years, and over time they became friends. They were married in 1996. Ken has two biological children - Jenny and Kenny. Dee has one biological son Andy, and together they have one adopted daughter Amanda. Dee and Ken also have a "French daughter", a foreign exchange student who has been back to visit four times since then. Mittens, the fat cat also lives with them in their Woodbury home. Dee's father grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, as well, so she has numerous, long standing family, extended family, and friendship connections throughout the state. Ken's daughter attended Iowa State University.
Dee's platform is "Changing Children's Futures Through Adoption". She and Ken designed a campaign entitled "Adopt One Until There Are None". Dee is an adoption advocate and invites you to checkout their website at www.amandah.com .
Cable, made for TV movie....did you even have to ask? A tale of a woman reaching the heights, hitting the bottom and finally finding redemption...
Yes... Those Women In Jeopardy TV movies of the week in the 70s and 80s. Its more retro than a collection of Bob Dylan lyrics. :)
Throw in an "evil male" character and you have a Lifetime movie of the week.
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