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mysteryowl

(7,390 posts)
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 09:20 PM Nov 2018

Trump's acting attorney general involved in firm that scammed veterans out of life savings

Source: Guardian

Donald Trump’s new acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, was involved in a company that scammed US military veterans out of their life savings, according to court filings and interviews.



Several veterans, two of them with disabilities, said they lost tens of thousands of dollars in the WPM scam, having been enticed into paying for patenting and licensing services by the impressive credentials of Whitaker and his fellow advisers. None said they dealt with Whitaker directly.

“World Patent Marketing has devastated me emotionally, mentally and financially,” Melvin Kiaaina, of Hawaii, told a federal court last year, adding that he trusted the firm with his life savings in part because it “had respected people on the board of directors”.

The 60-year-old said he was a disabled veteran US army paratrooper and paid the company in 2015 and 2016 to patent and promote his ideas for fishing equipment.


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/09/matthew-whitaker-acting-attorney-general-wpm-scam



This article spells it out the severity of fraud. The "acting top cop" was on the board of directors. That would be someone in the know.

31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump's acting attorney general involved in firm that scammed veterans out of life savings (Original Post) mysteryowl Nov 2018 OP
Not merely on the Board of Directors. There are transcripts of him going back and forth RockRaven Nov 2018 #1
This guy is as crooked as all the rest of trumps cronies. mysteryowl Nov 2018 #2
Linky? Control-Z Nov 2018 #3
Here's one email: dalton99a Nov 2018 #10
Bragging to intimidate? True Blue American Nov 2018 #11
Thank you! eom Control-Z Nov 2018 #13
Rachel reported the Court xxqqqzme Nov 2018 #20
Sure RockRaven Nov 2018 #12
Whoa. Almost unbelievable. Control-Z Nov 2018 #14
He's a true son of a bitch Power 2 the People Nov 2018 #7
Republican politicians do not care about veterans. Qutzupalotl Nov 2018 #4
And "Support the Troops" luvallpeeps Nov 2018 #28
hmmm elmac Nov 2018 #5
Whitaker is a real piece of shit. Turbineguy Nov 2018 #6
Only the best people? SCVDem Nov 2018 #8
Swamp person extraordinaire. nt BumRushDaShow Nov 2018 #9
If this company was shut down by the FTC Haggis for Breakfast Nov 2018 #15
LOCK. HIM. UP!!! lastlib Nov 2018 #16
Birds of a feather...... Ahpook Nov 2018 #17
Thom Hatmann reported on this a few days ago elmac Nov 2018 #18
Jeff Sessions, you crafty ol' bastard, you let Whitaker's appointment NCjack Nov 2018 #19
The White House continuing xxqqqzme Nov 2018 #21
Of course this is normal...we are living in Bizzaro World! BigmanPigman Nov 2018 #22
K & R for exposure. SunSeeker Nov 2018 #23
Mr. Clean sandensea Nov 2018 #24
How Trump celebrates this Veterans Day dalton99a Nov 2018 #25
Apparently he's one of those scam 'em with the small print lawyers Ohioboy Nov 2018 #27
This is the guy Trump lied about not knowing Ohioboy Nov 2018 #26
Another day , another criminal installed by trump duforsure Nov 2018 #29
Trump knows him. He's a great guy. leftyladyfrommo Nov 2018 #30
Throw this in the faces of any flag-waving trump shitheads you know. (nt) Paladin Nov 2018 #31

RockRaven

(14,972 posts)
1. Not merely on the Board of Directors. There are transcripts of him going back and forth
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 09:23 PM
Nov 2018

with clients complaining about getting scammed and him trying to intimidate them into silence.

mysteryowl

(7,390 posts)
2. This guy is as crooked as all the rest of trumps cronies.
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 09:26 PM
Nov 2018

The corruption in our federal government is off the charts.

xxqqqzme

(14,887 posts)
20. Rachel reported the Court
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 11:03 PM
Nov 2018

ordered the BoD return their salaries to the company. Whitaker refused.

He writes letters threatening civil and criminal action against complaining clients?

Why hasn't he been disbarred?

RockRaven

(14,972 posts)
12. Sure
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 10:17 PM
Nov 2018

Here's a WaPo op-ed that references it:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/matthew-whitaker-has-experience-advising-con-artists-will-he-help-more-under-trump/2018/11/08/3f1c910e-e39b-11e8-8f5f-a55347f48762_story.html?noredirect=on

But here's a Miami New Times article with the quote from an email he sent (unfortunately that article also contains a couple of quotes from credulous victims who somehow pretzel-logic their way into him being a victim too -- I'm guessing they were Trump voters engaged in motivated reasoning b/c the email is damning IMO):
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/matthew-whitaker-pick-as-acting-attorney-general-stuns-jilted-world-patent-marketing-customers-10895227

Qutzupalotl

(14,313 posts)
4. Republican politicians do not care about veterans.
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 09:33 PM
Nov 2018

Cannon fodder for their wars, and then shit like this. I’m amazed the Republican voters cannot see this.

luvallpeeps

(935 posts)
28. And "Support the Troops"
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 12:24 AM
Nov 2018

really means support the new war. Always. But when that Vet comes home and needs help, well we can just "say a prayer for peace". Give $19.99 to the wounded warriors project. It makes me sick. https://www.thomhartmann.com/forum/2011/04/hannity http://extragoodshit.phlap.net/index.php/wounded-warrior-charitys-new-fight-to-enrich-themselves/#more-308042

Haggis for Breakfast

(6,831 posts)
15. If this company was shut down by the FTC
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 10:31 PM
Nov 2018

There should be a massive amount of documentation about the corruption and fleecing of clients. Was the proceeding/resolution sealed by the authorities ?

And HOW did Whitaker ever get appointed with this in his background ?

And yes, his appointment is illegal. Even interim directors MUST have confirmation hearings.

lastlib

(23,239 posts)
16. LOCK. HIM. UP!!!
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 10:31 PM
Nov 2018

LOCK. HIM. UP!!!
LOCK. HIM. UP!!!
LOCK. HIM. UP!!!
LOCK. HIM. UP!!!..........

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

If a Dem had been in his place, GOPhers would be screaming their little pin-heads off! For this turd--crickets!

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
18. Thom Hatmann reported on this a few days ago
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 10:39 PM
Nov 2018

So it was no surprise for me but finding out per NBC that tRump would have been indicted with Manafort if he wasn't president was new.

NCjack

(10,279 posts)
19. Jeff Sessions, you crafty ol' bastard, you let Whitaker's appointment
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 10:46 PM
Nov 2018

proceed and did not warn the White House. You set a very clever trap!

Ohioboy

(3,243 posts)
27. Apparently he's one of those scam 'em with the small print lawyers
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 11:43 PM
Nov 2018

Can't stand those kind of people.

Ohioboy

(3,243 posts)
26. This is the guy Trump lied about not knowing
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 11:41 PM
Nov 2018

while there is a recording of Trump saying he does know him. Trump sure surrounds himself with corrupt people.

duforsure

(11,885 posts)
29. Another day , another criminal installed by trump
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 05:49 AM
Nov 2018

To corrupt OUR government for him. This guy defrauding service members out of their life savings ought to piss off every service member out there now. trump knew about his past too, and you can bet he looked into it, and as a weapon to use against him if he resists breaking the law for him. That's who he picks and uses , people he can hold things over them with to make them compromised to do what he wants. Just another day of him doing this to our government, and now he has someone who'll make it the department of trump justice for him to use as a weapon against anyone he wants, or putin wants gone after.

leftyladyfrommo

(18,868 posts)
30. Trump knows him. He's a great guy.
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 10:16 AM
Nov 2018

Right off the bat you know he's a total crook because those are tge only people Trump knows.

But this guy is special. He scammed Vets out of their life savings. Kind of worse even than Trump scamming his real estate students out of their savings.

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