Thumper
12-11-2014, 10:34 AM
This is located right in the middle of the government housing projects here in town. I receive a daily map of the crimes committed in town via email. This area is constantly marked with scenes of drug arrests, prostitution arrests, shootings, stabbings, burglaries, assaults ... you name it, it goes on here on a daily basis. As far as I'm concerned, a small nuclear bomb and a clean-up by bulldozers would be perfect. But, I'm not the Emperor of Lakeland, so it'll continue to be business as usual I suppose. Looks like an excellent location for a "grocery store" as I'm sure these poor "underprivileged" souls need groceries to survive this cruel world.
Anyway, I can't figure out the math. If this dufe stole $787,000 by doling out 50% of the take, shouldn't that mean he actually took in a gross of $1,574,000? And he only has $4,312 in his bank account? Taking the $787,000 minus the $4,312 ... ummm, I'd say he made $782,688. Now, if he does his MAXIMUM sentence of 5 years (what'cha wanna bet he does a very small fraction of that?), he'll have made $156,537 (rounded down) per year. Does anyone REALLY think he'll pay it back once he gets out of prison? I love "social programs". (I know, I know P-hole ... SOME actually rely on it or they'd croak ... but the abuse makes me sick ... and this is a SMALL town) I wonder what they bought with the cash and why don't they REALLY need groceries?
Officials: Eighth Street Supermarket Operator Stole $787,000
Lakeland man accused of food stamp fraud
LAKELAND | The operator of a Lakeland convenience store stole $787,000 from federal taxpayers in a food stamp fraud scheme, a federal plea agreement says. The theft occurred from September 2010 until August this year, federal prosecutors say.
Randolph Goosby, 53, from Lakeland, operated Eighth Street Market, also known as Eighth Street Supermarket, at 210 W. Eighth St. in Lakeland, a short block west of U.S. 98 North. He signed a plea agreement this week that calls for him to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Goosby faces a maximum of five years in federal prison when he is sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Elizabeth Jenkins. He is scheduled to appear before Jenkins for a plea hearing Jan. 8. He is not being held in jail until then and couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.
According to William Daniels, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, the scam worked like this:
If a customer wanted $100 in cash, Goosby would charge the customer $200 to his or her electronic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program card. The program is called SNAP. The customer would get $100 and Goosby would receive $200 in SNAP payments. "In essence, he was selling cash at 50 cents on the dollar," Daniels said. Prosecutors call the practice "cash back" or "discounting."
Goosby's convenience store didn't appear to have any valid business purpose, according to the plea agreement. It was closed Wednesday, protected by boards and some metal security bars. The plea agreement said law enforcement noted that the market was often closed during normal business hours and "appeared to have virtually no legitimate food customers."
The plea deal said federal investigators found $952,000 in transactions were flagged by federal officials. As part of the plea agreement, Goosby has agreed to pay the government $787,000 in restitution after he is released from prison, if he is sentenced to prison time. Goosby must forfeit any assets, including $4,312 from a local bank. Prosecutors say that money was part of the proceeds of the food stamp scam.
(Keep cash stashed, pennies in the bank, lease a car, rent a house ... what assets are they gonna recover?)
Anyway, I can't figure out the math. If this dufe stole $787,000 by doling out 50% of the take, shouldn't that mean he actually took in a gross of $1,574,000? And he only has $4,312 in his bank account? Taking the $787,000 minus the $4,312 ... ummm, I'd say he made $782,688. Now, if he does his MAXIMUM sentence of 5 years (what'cha wanna bet he does a very small fraction of that?), he'll have made $156,537 (rounded down) per year. Does anyone REALLY think he'll pay it back once he gets out of prison? I love "social programs". (I know, I know P-hole ... SOME actually rely on it or they'd croak ... but the abuse makes me sick ... and this is a SMALL town) I wonder what they bought with the cash and why don't they REALLY need groceries?
Officials: Eighth Street Supermarket Operator Stole $787,000
Lakeland man accused of food stamp fraud
LAKELAND | The operator of a Lakeland convenience store stole $787,000 from federal taxpayers in a food stamp fraud scheme, a federal plea agreement says. The theft occurred from September 2010 until August this year, federal prosecutors say.
Randolph Goosby, 53, from Lakeland, operated Eighth Street Market, also known as Eighth Street Supermarket, at 210 W. Eighth St. in Lakeland, a short block west of U.S. 98 North. He signed a plea agreement this week that calls for him to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Goosby faces a maximum of five years in federal prison when he is sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Elizabeth Jenkins. He is scheduled to appear before Jenkins for a plea hearing Jan. 8. He is not being held in jail until then and couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.
According to William Daniels, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, the scam worked like this:
If a customer wanted $100 in cash, Goosby would charge the customer $200 to his or her electronic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program card. The program is called SNAP. The customer would get $100 and Goosby would receive $200 in SNAP payments. "In essence, he was selling cash at 50 cents on the dollar," Daniels said. Prosecutors call the practice "cash back" or "discounting."
Goosby's convenience store didn't appear to have any valid business purpose, according to the plea agreement. It was closed Wednesday, protected by boards and some metal security bars. The plea agreement said law enforcement noted that the market was often closed during normal business hours and "appeared to have virtually no legitimate food customers."
The plea deal said federal investigators found $952,000 in transactions were flagged by federal officials. As part of the plea agreement, Goosby has agreed to pay the government $787,000 in restitution after he is released from prison, if he is sentenced to prison time. Goosby must forfeit any assets, including $4,312 from a local bank. Prosecutors say that money was part of the proceeds of the food stamp scam.
(Keep cash stashed, pennies in the bank, lease a car, rent a house ... what assets are they gonna recover?)