By Stan Welch
Two brothers from Arizona have become the latest suspects entangled in the Ponzi scheme run by former Anderson County Council member Ron Wilson. Gordon and Benton Hall have been indicted and arrested on charges related to the efforts of the brothers to help another defendant in the case hide and retain at least $1.5 million he allegedly accrued during his involvement in the scheme.
A co-conspirator of Ron Wilson has pled quilty to wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a ponzi scheme Wilson is currently serving time for. According to United States Attorney Bill Nettles, Wallace Lindsey Howell, age 61, of Mauldin, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville, to a wire fraud conspiracy, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Greenville accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Howell recommended Wilson’s investment program to numerous people and received “commissions” from Wilson for investors he brought in. The indictment focused on two clients introduced to Wilson’s investment scheme by Howell.
By Stan Welch
Less than a year after his silver securities scheme came crashing down around him, former Anderson County Councilman Ron Wilson has landed as softly as could be hoped, in a federal prison camp in Florida.
Wilson, sentenced to nineteen and a half years, will, barring future developments, serve that time in a minimum security facility in Sumter County Florida. Orlando is fifty miles away, and Tampa is seventy five miles away.
Ronnie Gene Wilson (left) arrives for sentencing at the court house in Greenville Tuesday.
By Stan Welch
Ronnie Gene Wilson, former Anderson County Councilman from the Powdersville area, was sentenced to 235 months, or approximately 19.5 years in federal prison Tuesday afternoon. He was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $57.4 million. The sentence is the result of Wilson’s plea of guilty to two counts of mail fraud, in association with a $90 million Ponzi scheme run by Wilson.
Ronnie Gene Wilson, age 65, of Easley, was sentenced to 235 months in prison for his involvement in a Silver Ponzi scheme, according to a statement by United States Attorney Bill Nettles on Tuesday.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Greenville imposed sentence after hearing from victims, the Government, and Wilson. She also ordered Wilson to pay $57 million in restitution to the 798 victims of the fraud. At the close of the proceedings, Wilson was taken into custody by the United States Marshals.
Ron Wilson (right) leaves a Greenville Courthouse as reporters follow.
By Stan Welch – A federal receiver has been appointed as part of the plea agreement signed by Ron Wilson in connection with his prosecution for mail fraud. Beattie Ashmore, a Greenville attorney was appointed by order of District Court Judge Michelle J. Childs to locate and seize any and all assets of Wilson.
Wilson has agreed to cooperate fully in identifying and locating such assets, so that they can be liquidated and the proceeds applied to compensating Wilson’s victims. Beattie, however, acknowledged to The Journal that the term “full restitution”, as ordered by the court, is more of a legal term than a realistic one.
U. S. Attorney Press conference
By Stan Welch – Federal officials announced Monday afternoon that Ronnie Gene Wilson, former Anderson County Councilman, pled guilty to two charges of federal mail fraud in connection with a $90 million Ponzi scheme he has operated for more than a decade, according to case documents.
U. S. Attorney Bill Nettles led a procession of local, state and federal law enforcement agents into the press conference held in Greenville Monday afternoon. Nettles stressed that the pleas by Wilson were not part of a plea bargain.
According to reports, Ron Wilson was arrested Wednesday and charged with mail fraud after turning himself in to U. S. Marshals just before a 2 p.m hearing in front of U. S. Magistrate Jacquelyn D. Austin in a Greenville court room.
He was released on $1 million bail shortly after his wife used three properties in her name to secure the bail, officials said.
By Stan Welch
Experience and compassion are the hallmarks of the Tracy Meyers, Senior Assistant Attorney General, who is handling her Office’s investigation into the Atlantic Bullion & Coin Company. (See related story elsewhere in this issue of The Journal.)
Meyers was with the AG’s Office when the Carolina Investors/Home Gold Financial scandal hit South Carolina. When questioned at Monday night’s meeting about why no criminal charges have been filed in the AB&C case, she said, “A week into the Carolina Investors case, I had 128,000 documents in my office. They had to be read and evaluated. This case promises to be much the same. My point is that criminal cases take much longer to build.”
Secret Service Agent Tom Griffin speaks to investors of Atlantic Bullion & Coin during a meeting Monday at Tri County Technical College’s Easley Campus. The meeting, attended by approximately 250 people, was set up by state Rep. Joshua Putnam and state Senator Kevin Bryant. Officials from the Attorney General’s office, the U. S. Secret Service and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) were at the meeting.
