Posted on 02/25/2010 6:33:58 PM PST by DogByte6RER
Inland swindler awaiting sentencing commits suicide
By RICHARD BROOKS and LESLIE BERKMAN
The Press-Enterprise
An admitted swindler has hanged himself in Palm Desert where he was awaiting sentencing to as much as 32 years in federal prison for filing false tax returns and for his role in a mortgage and security scheme that prosecutors say cost investors $142 million.
Christopher J. Oetting was found dead at 7:50 p.m. Feb. 16 at his home along the 40000 block of Sagewood Drive. He was free on $225,000 bond.
Oetting pleaded guilty Dec. 21 in federal court in Los Angeles to money-laundering, conspiracy and four counts of filing false tax returns, court records show. He was scheduled to be sentenced July 19. In addition to the prison term, he faced a fine of up to $900,000 and restitution to victims.
In the 16-page plea agreement, federal prosecutors made no recommendation on how long Oetting should be imprisoned. Most likely, he would have drawn a substantially lower sentence and fine, said U.S. attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek.
And although Oetting agreed to answer all questions from federal investigators and prosecutors, both co-defendants in the federal case have pleaded guilty, eliminating the need for a federal trial.
Those co-defendants are Linda Brooks, of Murrieta, and Steven Kayden, of Cathedral City. However, state prosecutors continue to pursue additional defendants involved in the case.
In his plea agreement, Oetting admitted helping someone identified in the documents as "J.D." by setting up numerous financial ventures and acting as paymaster in depositing proceeds and transferring funds among accounts, with much of the money diverted for JD's benefit.
Oetting admitted to setting up the ventures in a way that would mask the fact that J.D. was the person in charge. In turn, Oetting acknowledged he was compensated by J.D.
Court documents in other cases involving the scheme indicate that "JD" is James Duncan, a Murrieta businessman who authorities allege was the mastermind. Duncan is being held in jail, with bail set at $5 million, pending a trial on criminal securities fraud charges filed by the Riverside County district attorney.
In setting up Total Return Fund LLC, Oetting enlisted Kayden to act as president, according to the documents, with Kayden actually acting as a "front man" for J.D.
Between March 2004 and February 2006, more than 20 people invested more than $1.7 million in TRF, according to the plea agreement.
I think this guy Oetting had no honor, but lots of cowardice. He was scared of doing federal prison time.
In my humble opinion, we could benefit from more well-chosen and well-timed suicides from members of the rat-crap classes.
So much for his website.
This man is a hero to all California taxpayers..... Who get to save on trial and incarceration expenses
“He was free on $225,000 bond.”
And is now free of his mortal coil!
You know, these people think they’re sooooooooo freakin’ clever and soooo much smarter than the rest of us chumps.
That Karma. She’s a beotch. Loser.
Prayers for a misguided soul.
Whoa!
There is no mention about his death on his website!
This is really weird.
It’s like that 80s movie “Weekend at Bernie’s” where these two guys keep their dead boss’s corpse propped up so they could party at his beach house.
Yup. Everybody wants the good life. Hopefully karma will catch up to some of the Dem and RINO scum.
“Its like that 80s movie Weekend at Bernies where these two guys keep their dead bosss corpse propped up so they could party at his beach house.”
Aren’t the Dems STILL doing this with one of their Senators that ‘stroked out’ a few years ago?
Someone refresh my memory...
Is this guy connected to anyone else we know? Or Chicago? Or the sand lers?
Sounds like he was turning on the big guy - which would have greatly reduced his sentence. He may well have had help.
KKK Robert Byrd from WV?
No, there was another guy from the midwest, though Byrd should’ve been put out to pasture long ago!
I’ll think of it...
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