Special offer

Woman Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Estimated $1.6 Mil Fraud Scheme

By
Industry Observer TN LIC# 290452

San Antonio-Area Businesswoman Pleads Guilty

to Orchestrating Estimated $1.6 Million Fraud

Scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office September 09, 2014
  • Western District of Texas (210) 384-7100

The owner and managing partner of HipDingo stores in San Antonio, Boerne and Fredericksburg and former marketing director for a land development company, Rinco of Texas, Inc. (Rinco), and Rockin’ J Ranch (Rockin’ J) faces up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to orchestrating an estimated $1.6 million wire fraud scheme announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher H. Combs.

Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge John Primomo this afternoon in San Antonio,

47–year-old Boerne, TX, resident

Lea Ann Blystone

pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and agreed to forfeit to the government any and all HipDingo inventory, assets and equipment; five real estate properties in Kendall County (TX); and, three vehicles.

By pleading guilty, Blystone admitted that from January 2009 until August 2011, she devised and implemented a scheme to defraud Rinco and Rockin’ J to obtain money and other property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses.

As marketing director for Rinco and Rockin’ J, Blystone coordinated staffing and vendor payments for promotional booths or display space at shows, malls, sporting and other events.

Blystone caused Rinco and Rockin’ J to fraudulently pay her ex-husband and Rockin’ J contractor,

49-year-old Michael J. Webb of San Antonio;

48-year-old Rockin’ J contractor Karen Lindsay of Boerne;

and 56-year-old Boerne resident and Rockin’ J contractor Cheryl E. Hartsfield

for staffing the promotional displays. In some instances, Rinco and Rockin’ J paid for services when no promotion had been done at all at a stated location, or for work performed for the benefit of Blystone at HipDingo.

Webb, Lindsay and Hartsfield have each pleaded guilty to wire fraud and are currently awaiting sentencing.

Defendants still facing charges in connection with this investigation include:

47-year-old Boerne resident and Rockin’ J contractor Roy E. Pokrant, Jr.;

47-year-old Boerne resident and Rockin’ J contractor Thomas J. Worsham;

and, 48–year-old Rinco employee and HipDingo co-owner Manson Porter of Boerne.

Porter is charged by indictment with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of witness tampering. Pokrant and Worsham are each charged with three counts of wire fraud. Jury selection is scheduled for October 27, 2014. Upon conviction, each wire fraud and witness tampering charge call for up to 20 years in federal prison; each forged endorsement charge, up to ten years in federal prison.

The Government is also seeking a monetary judgment in this case in the amount of $1,597,708 representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the above mentioned scheme.

This case was investigated by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William R. Harris is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Porter, Pokrant and Worsham are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This content has been reproduced from its original source.
 
Posted by





Time&Temp Memphis

Legal Disclaimer
Please be advised that:

 The information and notices contained in this blog are intended to summarize recent developments and news. The posts are presented as general research and information. These posts are not intended, nor should be regarded, as legal advice. Some blog posts concern allegations made in civil lawsuits and in criminal indictments in United States Courts. All persons are presumed innocent until convicted of a crime and proven guilty. Readers who have particular questions or who believe that they need legal counsel should seek the advice of a qualified attorney. It is neither the editor's or author's intention to create a confidential relationship or any broker-client relationship via communication from this site at any time. Please consult with your state real estate board if questions & answers in the education section conflict with the laws of your region or if you need clarification regarding their applicability or how they may govern the services that you provide.

By entering this web site, you understand the following:
When you select a link to an outside Web site, you are subject to the privacy, copyright, security, and information quality policies of that Web site. David Saks:
1.DOES NOT control or guarantee the accuracy, legality, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of information contained on a linked Web site;
2.DOES NOT endorse linked Web sites, the views they express, or the products/services they offer unless linked web sites, the views they express, or the products/services they offer endorse or support David Saks in accordance with the standards of the Tennessee Real Estate Commission and the Federal Government's laws regarding commerce and the application, solicitation and transmission of internet-related concerns, commerce or social networking;
3.CANNOT authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites;
4.IS NOT responsible for transmissions users receive from linked Web sites;
5. That DavidSaks.Com is biographical & real estate related. Some links within will leave this site.
6. http://activerain.com/profile/davidsaks is internet-compliant & abides by the rules & regulations of the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
7. Unless indicated otherwise, ActiveRain does offer listings, or IDX and is provided for licensed salespersons, brokers, buyers & sellers of real property as a community & professional service.
8. David Saks is a retired / licensed real estate broker in the State of Tennessee, license #290452, and an independent contractor.
9. Information is believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed, at any realty link or document connected to the World Wide Web & viewable by anyone connected to the internet who has a web browser.
10. Brokers, buyers, sellers, agents & anyone should independently verify any information prior to submitting any offer to purchase goods & services from any link.
11. Please Visit The American Real Estate Alliance or Memphis.8k.Com for additional information regarding property issues for real estate professionals and consumers.

 

Photos © & Licensed by Nova Development

All Content Protected © 
Before you even think about
committing a real estate crime
click this red button.
Real Estate Crimes

© All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

"Information generated by the Department of Justice is in the public domain and may be reproduced, published or otherwise used without the Department’s permission. Citation to the Department of Justice as the source of the information is appreciated, as appropriate."

Department of Justice Legal Policies


 

  Real Estate Crimes

Comments (4)

Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I think they should make some additional charges for some really awful business names as well.

Sep 10, 2014 09:42 PM
David Saks
Memphis, TN
Broker / Industry Analyst

It should have been "Stinko of Texas" instead of "Rinco", Gabe.

Sep 11, 2014 04:34 AM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

David, The Central Ohio market had a similar case about 4 or 5 years ago.

Sep 24, 2014 11:34 PM
David Saks
Memphis, TN
Broker / Industry Analyst

Thanks, Sam.

Sep 25, 2014 02:21 AM