Limbaugh bank withdrawals under fire

New York Daily News ^ | 11/19/03 | DEREK ROSE

[kattracks]

Authorities are investigating whether radio host Rush Limbaugh skirted banking laws in getting cash to buy his illegal prescription painkillers, it was reported last night. Limbaugh made between 30 and 40 cash withdrawals from his account at U.S. Trust in amounts just under $10,000, ABC News quoted law enforcement officials as saying.

At one point, a U.S. Trust employee delivered about $9,900 in cash to Limbaugh at his New York studio, ABC reported. Banks must report withdrawals of $10,000 or more to the federal government.

Law enforcement officials will decide this week whether to prosecute Limbaugh on the felony money-laundering charges, ABC News also revealed.

"There's no basis for these charges. He has not committed any acts of money laundering and he absolutely denies it," Limbaugh's lawyer, Roy Black, told ABC. "I can assure you - and Rush assures the listeners to his radio station - when we can, we will tell the story, and he will tell it himself. Everybody will see what has really gone on here."

Black could not be reached for further comment last night.

ABC's report also said that officials in New York, in addition to Limbaugh's home state of Florida, are handling the probe.

Representatives for New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and the New York State Banking Office said they were not aware of any investigation.

Limbaugh returned to the WABC radio airwaves Monday after checking himself into a painkiller detox program five weeks ago.

Originally published on November 19, 2003

[longtermmemmory]

An internet pharmacy was just closed in miami. No arrests of patients, just lost its license. All perscriptions were reportedly obtained legally by the patients.

You can use more than one doctor. I am aware of a defendant that was going to FOUR doctors. She had each one once a month fill a perscription they thought was only for the whole month not the week. She got nailed and put into drug court because she phoned in a fake perscription to a pharmacy which was checked.

You may have overlooked the point that the pain may have been real. Real pain in need of real treatment.

[Torie]

Rush claims he used all that cash (300 K he says over several years) for his house in Palm Beach (paying cash to contractors off the books?) and for play money for harmless incidentals, and thus none of the use was illegal. For just what he was using to buy illegal drugs, stay tuned at 11. I suspect Rush is still dissembling. We shall see.

[onyx]

You may have overlooked the point that the pain may have been real. Real pain in need of real treatment.

That's how it started, but it soon excellerated into a need for the euphoric high. By his own admission, he's been a junkie since '95-'96.

Twelve separate doctors each writing a script could not have "morally" or "legally" mantained his habit for 7 years.

As much as some surgeons like to cut for hardly any reason at all, many times surgery is the obvious answer to attempt to rememdy the causation of pain.

I like Rush a lot. I am happy he is kicking the habit, but he knew he was addicted and he didn't stop until that housekeeper outed him. Most addicts don't stop until they're either arrested or caught by family members. The worst ones, die.

[longtermmemmory]

In FL there is no sales tax on services. Contractors are a service. Contractors also give discounts for cash transactions. (been there done that, bought the t-shirt) Spending $300,000 on workers in the area where Rush lives is easy. Many people just buy lots and build homes. The landscapers and workers are independent contractors and as labor, not subject to sales tax for their service.

The story has far more than a kernel of truth. In fact, I have family with a home in the Jupiter area which have a home in a perpetual state of building and landscaping. They keep "handy" amounts of cash on hand to take care of business.

Additionally, with furniture stores usually having a 400% markup, you would be very surprised how much of a discount cash buys. (some furniture stores expect clients to payand average of $5-10K+ per room.)

(just a footnote: the drugs Rush admitted to were not illegal. Pot, crack, and cocaine are illegal. Oxycotin is a legal drug. Obtaining without a perscription is illegal. Being an adict is not illegal. Not nitpicking but given the propensity of the leftist media to confuse the issue, I would rather have FR be more accurate.)

[Torie]

You do know that Contractors take cash so that they can avoid reporting it as income, and thereby commit tax fraud without a paper trial don't you, and thus are willing to work cheaper as a result? Where have you been?

[longtermmemmory]

all valid points.


With the advent of internet pharmacies and Florida storfronts which import canadian drugs, I don't believe its a problem to obtain drugs legally. Not saying he did not do it illegally. Just pointing out that with the type of finacial resources he had, legally obtaining the drugs would not be a difficult issue. Besides, the fact this "laundering" story is comming out two years after the fact suggests the Palm Beach Prosecutor had no intent on ever filing the drug case. No admissible evidence for the result of a dismissal in drug court anyways.

[garbanzo]

Withdrawing more than 10K without reporting it is a crime - of course not withdrawing 10K and not reporting it is also a crime. Nice little law we got there.

[longtermmemmory]

No actually under 10k the law is discretionary to the bank. The important point is that ALL these transactions were examined TWO YEARS ago. The bank was the party responsible the bank was fined.

This is just Rush=Ratings for the dying networks.

Every time rush metions ABC, the suits are going to put Rush's ditocam image on the TV screen. (Rush PLEASE dress nicer if you are going to be on TV) Of course this means ABC has someone assigned to watch Rush. ABCnews is a Rush 24/7 subscriber! Perhaps they will learn something!

[onyx]

Every transaction leaves a trail --- except from a drug dealer and then the dealer owns your soul if you're someone famous like Rush.

Small quantities can be obtained from a variety of sources, including the Internet. I must delete a minumum of 20 unsolicited ads for meds every day. I have no idea how they obtained my e-mail addy, and blocking them hasn't worked --- they breed faster than rabbits.

[onyx]

Orwell's 1984 has arrived.

[Torie]

Garb has the law wrong. Amounts under 10,000 must be reported if it is a pattern and practice, and it is also illegal for a bank to advise what the limit is, and they must report anyone who asks what the limit is. Thus the bank Rush used was charged with violations, and had, per Rush, to pay a 10 million dollar fine.

[longtermmemmory]

If you are not using a firewall or have not included you email in the firewall block feature, they actually capture your web site. (I believe even Drudge captures emails)

Install spybot and you would be surprised how much spyware you have accidentally aquired.

[onyx]

Thank you, I'll try that! :)

[onyx]

I know that. Rush even discussed banking and IRS regulations on his program today. I'm too tired to hit the fine points but I thank you for you doing so. :)

[longtermmemmory]

It is not illegal to advise the limits. Where? My banks have little pamphlets that advise on this reporting manure.

The under 10,000 is discretionary and the law has exemptions. Like if the transaction are for good purpose known to the bank. IE, personal paycheck. How many transactions were there? How many were 9900? were they at the exact time and date? (like a paycheck)

This is another trial by absense of information. Using money to buy drugs illegally is not illegal. ???? BUY DRUGS ILLEGALLY is illegal. To date there is no admissible proof that Rush bought any pills illegally. This may change, but cases have to be tried in court not DNC hit pieces.

Could this be the Maid's lawyer (aka FOB and McAuful) trying to smear rush to avoid some florida mandatory minimum sentence for dealing drugs?

[Torie]

One of my law partners, who is expert in this area, says that if anyone asks a bank what the limits are, they must be reported. You might not like it, but that is how it is. Maybe the pamphlet thingie is the antidote to the Orwellian stricture. Banks are so clever, except when they are not, which is early and often.

[Torie]

To date there is no admissible proof that Rush bought any pills illegally.

If Rush did not buy these drugs illegally, he is even more of a freaking genius than I thought, because he really knows how to game the system. I hate to say it, but Rush should really spend about 6 months I suspect in a low security federal prison, perhaps at Lompoc, which I think has a golf course. It might even help with his therapy.

[longtermmemmory]

FL has a drug court program. No first time offender goes to jail. They go through evaluation, treatment, and then the case is dismissed.

I have news for you. Addicts can game the system with alarming alacrity. They are usually caught because they made a stupid move such as phoning in their own perscription when they are cut off. I bet you could legally order a month's supply of oxycotin off the internet in fifteen minutes.

In rush's case, the maid was caught in her own dealing arrest and she knew rush was an addict. She used that knowledge to try and cut a better deal for herself. Since the state was not interested in any addicts, she and her clinton attorney sold the story to sid blumenthal's friends at the enquirer.

It would not be unlikely that this attorney is involved in this leak.

6 months? for what? He did nothng illegal. The bank had to report not Rush. I have never had to fill out a form for over 10k. the bank took care of that.

So what does you law partner know about banking privacy laws. Who is allowed to publicly reveal what my withdrawal habits are?

I think Rush should have his own network with all his substitutie professors. Heck how about making the ditocam a cable channel with conservative talk 24/7.

[Torie]

I explained the banking law are and stand by it. Rush if he goes to jail, should do so because of his stature (with rank comes both privileges and responsibility), for buying illegal drugs on a massive scale. However, Rush did indeed not violate the banking laws, the bank did.

[greasepaint]

I agree with you to the extent that...at some point,
no doctor would supply him with a large number of pills.
......
>I agree with you that Rush may have started out trying to self-medicate,<
for the sake of argument, assume so.
Why would he do this?