And they say, "Crime does not pay"

[Immanuel]

RPOF Jim Greer fundraising fraud: No prison time for former state GOP executive - OrlandoSentinel.com

What kind of deal did Delmar Johnson III, the former executive director of the Florida GOP, get from prosecutors to provide evidence against his boss, former state party chairman Jim Greer?

No prison. No probation. No fine. No criminal record.

Johnson, from Winter Garden, must repay the $65,000 that prosecutors say he stole from the party. That's just under half the amount — $125,000 — prosecutors say Greer stole.

And Johnson must appear anywhere, any time at the demand of the Office of Statewide Prosecution demands so he can tell what he knows, according to the agreement.

Otherwise, Johnson faces no punishment, according to the deal which was disclosed this afternoon by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, part of the Florida Attorney General's Office.

By the way, note to the editor: 65 is 52% of 125, last time I checked, 52% was OVER half.

Greer, 48, of Oviedo, is free on bond, awaiting trial on six felony counts. A statewide grand jury indicted him on corruption charges, including grand theft, money laundering and running an organized scheme to defraud.

He faces up to 75 years in prison.

One of his lawyers, Damon Chase, has said that Greer committed no crime.

Prosecutors and their investigators — the Florida Department of Law Enforcement — allege Greer secretly controlled a company, Victory Strategies LLC, that handled all major fundraising for the party and kept 10 percent of each gift.

Greer calls that percentage a commission.

The statewide grand jury called it theft.

Party officials say they knew that Victory Strategies was raising money for the party but allege that Greer kept secret his 60-percent ownership stake.

According to prosecutors, $125,000 of state party funds wound up in Greer's personal bank accounts. Some of the money went to Victory Strategies for work that was never done, according to investigative records.

At the time, Greer also was earning a $130,000 salary as party chairman. He left that job this year after months of infighting among party officials who accused him of extravagant overspending.

Greer, 48, of Oviedo, is free on bond, awaiting trial on six felony counts. A statewide grand jury indicted him on corruption charges, including grand theft, money laundering and running an organized scheme to defraud.

He faces up to 75 years in prison.

One of his lawyers, Damon Chase, has said that Greer committed no crime.

Prosecutors and their investigators — the Florida Department of Law Enforcement — allege Greer secretly controlled a company, Victory Strategies LLC, that handled all major fundraising for the party and kept 10 percent of each gift.

Greer calls that percentage a commission.

The statewide grand jury called it theft.

Party officials say they knew that Victory Strategies was raising money for the party but allege that Greer kept secret his 60-percent ownership stake.

According to prosecutors, $125,000 of state party funds wound up in Greer's personal bank accounts. Some of the money went to Victory Strategies for work that was never done, according to investigative records.

At the time, Greer also was earning a $130,000 salary as party chairman. He left that job this year after months of infighting among party officials who accused him of extravagant overspending.

A commission? Is there any written agreement signed by the Florida GOP, signed by someone like a treasurer of the party who received no benefits from the deal, and Victory Strategies providing for a commission?

More at site.

Immie

 

[Madeline]

Mebbe there is a written agreement, Immie. But the two owners of the company were already FGOP employees with fund raising duties. They owed a duty of loyalty and service to the FGOP, and the skimming of ten percent of contributions by any means violated these duties.

 

[Immanuel]

Mebbe there is a written agreement, Immie. But the two owners of the company were already FGOP employees with fund raising duties. They owed a duty of loyalty and service to the FGOP, and the skimming of ten percent of contributions by any means violated these duties.

If there was an agreement, in my opinion it better have been signed by someone other than Greer or Johnson otherwise it seems to me like it is a crime.

If there is a written agreement, I will amend my statement, but I suspect since Johnson turned whistleblower, that there is no agreement.

75 years, for $125k! Hehe... I certainly won't shed a tear.

Immie

 

[Madeline]

Bear in mind, Immie, the FGOP is not a government body. It is not even a charity. As victims go, it ain't all that appealing. And blame should be shared by the Directors who fell down on the job of watching the employees.

Really, this is just simple embezzlement and prolly don't deserve anything more than restitution and mebbe a couple years' prison time.

 

[Immanuel]

Bear in mind, Immie, the FGOP is not a government body. It is not even a charity. As victims go, it ain't all that appealing. And blame should be shared by the Directors who fell down on the job of watching the employees.

Really, this is just simple embezzlement and prolly don't deserve anything more than restitution and mebbe a couple years' prison time.

That is right it is embezzlement and that is all it is. It is a crime.

The article stated that Greer faces 75 years in prison. I didn't say that was what he deserves.

A crime is a crime and it does not matter who commits it or who the victim is.

The way I look at it and presented the article was not about who the victim was but who the criminals were.

Immie