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Former CEO guilty in 'Ponzi' scheme
Law News |
2011/08/18 09:28
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The former CEO of an Austin-based investment firm was found guilty on Wednesday on federal charges that he schemed and defrauded investors out of millions of dollars.
Triton Financial CEO Kurt Branham Barton was named in a 39-count indictment alleging he used former NFL stars and church contacts to raise $50 million fraudulently from investors.
The counts against Kurt Branham Barton included money laundering, wire fraud and securities fraud. He is accused of using the money raised from investors to support an expanding Ponzi scheme and to enrich himself and the chief financial officer of his Triton Financial firm.
“It is regrettable that selfish, greedy individuals devise schemes to make themselves rich by victimizing honest and innocent people, often depriving the victims of their life savings, U.S. Attorney John E. Murphy said. These con artists are usually very accomplished salesmen taking advantage of trusting investors, who unfortunately will never be made whole again.
Evidence presented during the eight-day trial showed that from December 2005 and December 2009, Barton devised a scheme to obtain money from investors under false pretenses. |
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Man found guilty in Atlanta of killing boxer
Court Press News |
2011/08/17 09:28
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A Fulton County jury has found DeMario Ware guilty of felony murder and other charges in the shooting of former world champion boxer Vernon Forrest.
The jury acquitted Ware on a malice murder charge.
The 22-year-old Ware did not fire the gun that killed the 38-year-old welterweight, but was charged with malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault. He could be sentenced to life in prison.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that in a police interview played for the jury, Ware admitted pointing a loaded gun at Forrest on the night of July 25, 2009, and taking the boxer's gold championship ring and Rolex watch. Police say Forrest chased Ware but failed to catch him and wound up being shot to death by Charman Sinkfield, one of Ware's codefendants. |
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EEOC sues, argues man on treatment should be hired
Legal News Digest |
2011/08/17 09:27
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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued a national insurance company, contending the firm violated federal law by refusing to hire a North Carolina man after he disclosed he was participating in a methadone treatment program for a drug addiction.
The suit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Raleigh against United Insurance Co. of America, said EEOC attorney Lynette Barnes.
The complaint argues the firm violated federal disability discrimination law by refusing to hire Craig Burns, 30, who applied for a job in the firm's Raleigh office in December of 2009. The firm made a conditional offer of employment to Burns the following month, depending upon his passing a drug test, the complaint said.
The test showed the presence of methadone in his system, so Burns submitted a letter to the firm from his treatment provider saying he was participating in a supervised methadone treatment program and taking legally prescribed medication as part of the treatment, the complaint said.
Upon receiving this information, United Insurance notified Barnes he was not eligible to be hired and withdrew the employment offer, the complaint said.
Barnes said the action violates the Americans With Disabilities Act, which protects employees and applicants from discrimination based on their disabilities. A recovering drug addict is covered under the act, the attorney said in an interview. |
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NY court rejects $18M class action writers deal
Law News |
2011/08/16 09:28
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A federal appeals court in New York has rejected an $18 million class action settlement reached after freelance writers sued publishers.
The writers had said their copyrights were infringed upon when their works were reprinted online without permission.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said Wednesday the 2005 deal had to be scrapped because the plaintiffs didn't adequately represent all members of the class. It says more than 99 percent of claims wouldn't be covered by the settlement because they involved writers who hadn't registered copyrights.
The settlement was reached after the Supreme Court in 2001 ruled freelance writers have online rights to their work. The case largely applied to articles, photographs and illustrations produced 15 or more years ago. |
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White House criticizes court's health care ruling
Legal Business |
2011/08/15 09:29
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The White House is expressing confidence that it's constitutional to require people to have health insurance and believes that President Barack Obama's health care law will be survive all legal challenges in the end.
Obama adviser Stephanie Cutter says the White House strongly disagrees with an appeals court ruling Friday that struck down the insurance requirement at the center of a law.
She says the White House is confident that ruling will not stand.
Cutter notes on the White House blog that four other courts, including a different appeals court, has upheld the law.
Many legal observers expect the U.S. Supreme Court to have the final say on the issue. |
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