White Collar Crime Issue

Posted by Winnie Melda on November 30th, 2018

Leon Benzer was a contractor who worked as was the former Las Vegas construction boss. The federal judge sentenced him for almost 16 years due to his engagement in million fraud scheme (Millard, & Kuschke, 2014). Leon worked for many years as the boss managing numerous investments for the home owners association (HOASs). He planned and conducted many operations in Las Vegas to secure construction contracts and other business contracts for himself and other conspirators. The federal government has convicted over 44 individual including several state officials who are directly connected with the fraud (Boles, 2015). The fraud scheme has been described as one of the largest cases of public corruption in Navada history. According to Michael Eliot, a special agent investigation agent explained the fraud as an incredibly complicated financial fraud with highest public corruption activities. Michael Eliot worked as the FBI investigator for about 8years in Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Las Vegas division. Michael explains that the fraud scheme involved many people and was continually growing with time and expanding like a spider web (Gary, 2014).

The scheme involved a plan to take control of the dozens of Nevada Homes Owners Association. The plan was controlled by Benzer an attorney general and other conspirators between 2002 and 2009. The plan involved recruiting a group of investors to purchase condominiums and secure positions in Nevada Homes Owners Association as members of Boards of Directors. The plan succeeded making Benzer have total control of the Nevada Homes Owners Association. Benzer rigged Nevada Homes Owners Association board of directors association. He used his influential position to pay board members in the process of making them adhere and buy his interests. Benzer ensured that he hired his close friends and co-conspirators law firm in handling construction related litigation. Benzer schemes included awarding profitable construction contracts through favoring his company called Silver Lining Construction. Benzer used the power and position to manipulate and bribe Nevada Homes Owners Association board of director by using different ways. He convinced the investors that he had local judges, and the entire law enforcement arms were in his control. A search warrant conducted in 2008 proved that Benzer was in the process of targeting 20 different Nevada Homes Owners Association for illegal takeovers. The investigation revealed evidence of boxes and files having clear information on transfer of ownership. The investigators discovered some tangible evidence which was used in the court against Leon Benzer. The evidence details included $ 20 000 /= cash bribes wrapped and sealed using a baby wipes container.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation facilitated search with the investigators from Los Vegas, who used the Metropolitan police department. The other fleet of investigators involved included Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Criminal Investigator. The combination of the investigating team used some investigating techniques that included the confidential sources, use of multiple undercover operations and the use of forensic accountants. The tactics applied in the collection of data and information included the use of the interview techniques that sampled together the extent of crimes schemes planned and committed by Benzer and his conspirators. The investigation process targeted at identifying the Board of directors plus data and information to stand as the true evidence in the court of law. The Nevada Homes Owners Association was vulnerable to money fraud enacted by Benzer. The state evidence revealed that Benzer in was involved in the bribery, the extortion, the tax evasion and many more allegation that indicate Benzer was dedicated to wire fraud (Chaudhary, et al…, 2015). The report revealed that Nevada Homes Owners Association boamrd of directors were operating with very high budgets far beyond the Nevada cities. The collected information was analyzed, and the reports revealed that Benzer conducted sophisticated scam that led to retrieved money from different Nevada Homes Owners Association investments. The plans led to the generation of millions of dollars to Benzer over a long period. 

According to the investigators report, the money fraudulent scheme conducted by Benzer involved highly experienced and charismatic employees who used an army of lawyers to legalize their transactions. Benzer had a fleet of bodyguards and had a powerful entourage that included three highly trained and armored SUVs. The reports revealed that Benzer had no problem in spending money to maintain his expensive lifestyle. However, many high flying scams take long and consume time and resources to investigate (Millard, & Kuschke, 2014). Finnally, after a long period of investigation Benzer was brought before trial chambers for justice.  

Benzer was jailed in January 2015 after pleading guilty to numerous counts of money laundering, bribery, conspiracy and illegal schemes on Nevada Homes Owners Association. Benzer was also guilty of wire fraud, and tax evasion (Chaudhary, et al…, 2015). Benzer was sentenced to a punishment of 188-month imprisonment plus a fine of million. The situation has found Benzer imn  Jail and mwithout money.  

References

Boles, J. R. (2015). Financial Sector Executives as Targets for Money Laundering

1.  American Business Law Journal, 52, 3, 365-433.

Chaudhary, S., Berki, E., Li, L., & Valtanen, J. (2015). Time Up for Phishing with Effective

Anti-Phishing Research Strategies. International Journal of Human Capital and

Information Technology Professionals (ijhcitp), 6, 2, 49-64.

Gary, L. M. (2014). Norway has attained a “low-risk” money laundering rating, how could this

be applied globally?. Journal of Money Laundering Control, 17, 2, 166-202.

Millard, D., & Kuschke, B. (2014). Transparency, trust and security : an evaluation of the

insurer's precontractual duties. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal,17, 6, 2411-2450

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in college research papers if you need a similar paper you can place your order for order research paper.