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Adelphia Founder Sentenced to 15 Years, Son Gets 20
aol business news ^ | 6 20 05 | ERIN McCLAM, AP

Posted on 06/20/2005 2:50:39 PM PDT by freepatriot32

NEW YORK (June 20) - A father and son are both going to prison for one of the largest frauds in corporate history.

Adelphia Communications founder John Rigas has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. His son, Timothy, has been given a 20-year sentence.

The New York judge says John Rigas' age and health kept him from imposing a stiffer sentence. Rigas is 80 years old.

The cable company collapsed into bankruptcy in 2002 after it disclosed a staggering two (b) billion dollars in debt that had been kept off the books. Prosecutors say the Rigas family also stole about 100 (m) million dollars for themselves.

John and Timothy Rigas had faced up to 30 years in prison each on their bank fraud convictions alone. They were also convicted of securities fraud and conspiracy. At the trial, prosecutors said the Rigases used complicated cash-management systems to spread money around to various family-owned entities and as a cover for stealing about $100 million for themselves.

The Rigases are among a slew of former corporate executives who have faced charges since the fall of Enron in 2001 touched off a parade of white-collar scandals.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: New York; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: 15; 20; adelphia; courts; donutwatch; enron; founder; gets; govwatch; rigas; sentenced; son; theft; to; whitecollarcrime; witchhunt; years
John Rigas, 80, and his son Timothy were convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges.
1 posted on 06/20/2005 2:50:40 PM PDT by freepatriot32
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To: Abram; AlexandriaDuke; Annie03; Baby Bear; bassmaner; Bernard; BJClinton; BlackbirdSST; ...
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
2 posted on 06/20/2005 2:52:17 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (www.lp.org)
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To: freepatriot32

Almost did some consulting work for them in 2002... thank my lucky stars I didn't get the contract.


3 posted on 06/20/2005 2:52:18 PM PDT by StoneGiant
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To: freepatriot32
Fantastic!

Now....when are they going to charge Mario Cuomo's son for overseeing the billions of missing dollars from HUD? Or the Los Angeles School District for billing Sacramento for millions in attendance money for students that don't exist/didn't attend?

4 posted on 06/20/2005 2:56:22 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: StoneGiant
thank my lucky stars I didn't get the contract.

Yeah you definitly dodged a bullet there

5 posted on 06/20/2005 2:56:31 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (www.lp.org)
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To: Lizavetta
Now....when are they going to charge Mario Cuomo's son for overseeing the billions of missing dollars from HUD? Or the Los Angeles School District for billing Sacramento for millions in attendance money for students that don't exist/didn't attend?

right around this time


6 posted on 06/20/2005 3:03:26 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (www.lp.org)
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To: Lizavetta
Or Gary Winick of Global Crossing.

Since John Ashcroft dropped the ball on that one, Alberto Gonzales should pick it up and initiate a grand jury hearing (or two) to include all the benefactors of that theft - including Terry McAwfull.

For the record, I lost $3000 on GC, while Terry Mc turned $100,000 into $16,000,000 and Winick sucked out $600 million before the collapse - he's living like a king in Hollywood these day in a mansion that was partially paid for by my loss.

That's my soapbox rant... please drive through.

Trajan88

7 posted on 06/20/2005 3:03:38 PM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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To: freepatriot32
The New York judge says John Rigas' age and health kept him from imposing a stiffer sentence.

WTF does age and health have to do with anything?

Other than avoiding the tax payers the burdon of paying his medical, it would appear to me that anyone commiting crimes late in life deserves MORE punishment than some one younger, because the older person has had more time to learn the rules.

8 posted on 06/20/2005 3:07:25 PM PDT by konaice
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To: freepatriot32

Enjoy your retirement fellas.


9 posted on 06/20/2005 3:10:15 PM PDT by mad puppy ( "He's with me!" And I'm with W.)
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To: freepatriot32; Kolokotronis

Shameful end to an astounding career. I am not making excuses but his sons/daughter are 90% responsible for this horror.

Did anybody say something about hubris?


10 posted on 06/20/2005 3:26:18 PM PDT by eleni121 ('Thou hast conquered, O Galilean!' (Julian the Apostate))
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To: Trajan88

Chances are good that Terry didn't leave any incriminating evidence behind. He learned this from the Clintons. But I do think it's worth looking into. Alberto, are you reading this?


11 posted on 06/20/2005 3:28:34 PM PDT by rockthecasbah
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To: freepatriot32
The Rigas's were great. They wouldn't carry any porn channels because they were morally against it, but had no problem embezzling millions from the company. Apparently that didn't violate their sense of right and wrong.
12 posted on 06/20/2005 3:37:56 PM PDT by Moral Hazard (According to the Catholic church the Capybara is a fish.)
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To: freepatriot32
Take note, everybody.

Leftist loudmouths have had a heyday complaining about corporate corruption and greed. They screamed about Enron non stop during the past electoral campaign. Lately we have seen the WorldCom, Tyco, Adelphia, Enron and HealthSouth scandals lead to many convictions of major players, with more (Lay, Scrushy, Skilling) to come.

Don't let the leftist termites paint Bush with this brush. The crimes of these companies were committed on Clinton's watch, and cleaned up by the Bush Justice Dept. Filthy crooked commie Terry McAuliffe was in bed with Global Crossing to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. We need to hammer home that these are Democrat scandals. Do not let the crooked commies deflect blame for this onto the Republicans.

-ccm

13 posted on 06/20/2005 3:57:40 PM PDT by ccmay (Question Diversity)
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To: ccmay

This administration has done more to clean up the corrupt corporate world than any administration including TR's.

Somebody should write an article on this....haven't seen one yet.


14 posted on 06/20/2005 4:19:02 PM PDT by eleni121 ('Thou hast conquered, O Galilean!' (Julian the Apostate))
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To: ccmay

You are absolutely right. Good post!


15 posted on 06/20/2005 4:46:01 PM PDT by Frank_2001
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To: konaice

WTF does age and health have to do with anything?

- the government doesn't have to pay for the 80 year old's health costs (he just lost all his job benefits - poor guy.)


16 posted on 06/20/2005 4:50:47 PM PDT by Oystir
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To: ccmay
Howie Dean claims not one Republican works an honest day - he should turn that vitrol on his predecessor McAwful.

Terry McA stole thousands under the guise of "it is capitalism" and he's gotten away with it.

Trajan88

17 posted on 06/20/2005 4:52:52 PM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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To: freepatriot32

Please add me to your ping list.


18 posted on 06/20/2005 5:56:13 PM PDT by GSWarrior
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