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From the article: IRS agents arrested Johnson on Saturday afternoon at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as he changed planes en route to Costa Rica. Johnson moved his wife and two children to the Central American country earlier this year. "This is a sizable case. I think it's one of the largest cases in the number of consumers and amount of consumer injury." -Collot Guerard Federal prosecutors charged him with one count of mail fraud, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Johnson is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Phoenix on Monday. The criminal charge stems from Johnson allegedly using the U.S. mail to further his fraudulent business. According to the felony complaint, he used false advertising, false testimonials and phony reviews to market IWorks and dozens of shell companies.

From the article: Besides being a multimillionaire businessman and humanitarian, Johnson, court records show, is a chronic a gambler...By his own admission, Johnson is not good with money. But when you've made $275 million in a decade's time, what's the use of keeping track. He would rather spend it anyway. Of that amount, court records show $59 million supported a lavish lifestyle devoted to mansions, property, gold and silver, businesses, a dozen helicopters and airplanes, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. He gave money to family, friends and his LDS Church ward.

1 posted on 06/13/2011 8:22:57 AM PDT by Colofornian
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To: All
This is just the latest in an epidemic of Lds-related financial frauds.

JOHN L. SMITH: Thieves in the temple: How 'affinity fraud' hurts LDS church members
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sept. 12, 2010

Local political gadfly arrested for exploiting elderly woman
Source: Provo Daily Herald, May 4, 2010

Preying on the faithful: Though Mormons often victims, LDS church skips fraud-prevention event
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, May 2, 2010

Kaneohe swindler is sentenced
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 6, 2010

Investors with troubled firm have Mormon ties
Source: Austin American Statesman, Jan. 16, 2010

Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: www.connect2utah.com (KUTV) Jan. 7, 2010

Lindon Man Accused of Trying to Kill Witnesses to Alleged Scam
Source: MidUtahRadio.com, Nov. 19, 2009

KSL 5 News investigates affinity fraud
Source: KSL.com Nov. 9, 2009

Mormon victims are caught up in $50M scam to sell gold bullion
Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 18, 2009

LDS Church returned $200K in Southwick Tithing
Source: AP, Sept. 14, 2009

Merriman's church donations may be tained [Momon Ponzi schemer's tithe monies ill-gotten?]
Source: Denver Post, April 24, 2009

Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: Fox News, April 8, 2009

Calif. Man Charged with $40 million Ponzi scheme
Source: AP, March 20, 2009

The bottom line here is that you would expect a church that has 2% of the nation's population to have about 2% of affinity fraud cases -- even if they were as criminal as the atheists and agnostics! [You would expect them to have less than 2% if there was a true higher moral standard at operation here]. You don't expect cases involving $one and a half BILLION!

If you only have time to click on one article link above...read the first...be sure to read the comments of FBI special agent Cameron Saxey (who is Lds)...the article mentions how the Utah jurisdictional Securities Fraud Task Force was working on 100+ cases...meaning that $1.4 billion total mentioned in the article doesn't tell it all!

2 posted on 06/13/2011 8:27:32 AM PDT by Colofornian (I already have a God as my leader. Why do I need ANOTHER one as POTUS?)
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To: Colofornian
IWorks and its shell companies tried to appeal to customers by promiently displaying the American flag or a picture of President Barack Obama on their websites.

...and did this actually APPEAL to potential 'customers'?

3 posted on 06/13/2011 8:37:07 AM PDT by WayneS ("I hope you know this will go down on your PERMANENT record...")
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