Bill Mastro's upcoming sentencing

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Where do you get 7-10 years? According to the plea agreement the maximum for the offense is 5, as I read it anyhow (page 16). And where do you get 3-5 million? The plea agreement indicates that the government estimates the total fraud as less than $I million (page 17).

If you read what he wrote he said what he felt was appropriate, not what was in the plea agreement. And his comment about $3-5 million was relating to a penalty -- a fine -- and not restitution.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

If you read what he wrote he said what he felt was appropriate, not what was in the plea agreement. And his comment about $3-5 million was relating to a penalty -- a fine -- and not restitution.

According to the plea agreement again, the maximum fine is twice the gross gain. And obviously I know how to read, my point is that "appropriate" has to be defined in terms of what the law provides.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

According to the plea agreement again, the maximum fine is twice the gross gain. And obviously I know how to read, my point is that "appropriate" has to be defined in terms of what the law provides.

Let's split hairs for another week and ignore the 600 pound gorilla in the room. Regardless, the fine has a statutory max on what Mastro pleaded guilty to. Had he been required to plead to a different charge the fine could have been significantly bigger. Same with the maximum statutory period of incarceration. Had he been required to plead to a different charge he could have been facing 20 years and his guidelines significantly higher. Just because prosecutors reached a plea agreement does not suggest for a second that they believe the evidence of fraud is not more significant than what is in the agreement. That's just what they settled on to get rid of the case.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Yes I understand all that but that's the world we are in, not your hypothetical one.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Yes I understand all that but that's the world we are in, not your hypothetical one.

Yeah, my world is all hypothetical while you spin one contrarian fantasy after another which never results in anything concrete other than more blathering posts amounting to nothing.

[wonkaticket]

I'm not the one with a potentially stolen card for sale. I'm not the one claiming to do more than 99.9 % of people in this hobby in terms of fighting fraud. While conveniently failing to do basic due diligence on a major ticket item that had serious potential issues. Issues by the way that you were made aware of a year ago by federal authorities. I'm also not the one taking gifts and praising a known major hobby fraud for his generosity.

Like so many before you and so many more to come. I'm so proud of you for doing the right thing after it's made public and no longer under the carpet. May I strive to have your integrity one day. Make no mistake Leon the only spin and charade I see here is coming from the greater Texas area because it's always sunny in Philadelphia.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

I'm not the one with a potentially stolen card for sale. I'm not the one claiming to do more than 99.9 % of people in this hobby in terms of fighting fraud. While conveniently failing to do basic due diligence on a major ticket item that had serious potential issues. Issues by the way that you were made aware of a year ago by federal authorities. I'm also not the one taking gifts and praising a known major hobby fraud for his generosity.

Like so many before you and so many more to come. I'm so proud of you for doing the right thing after it's made public and no longer under the carpet. May I strive to have your integrity one day. Make no mistake Leon the only spin and charade I see here is coming from the greater Texas area because it's always sunny in Philadelphia.

The issues I was made aware of a year ago had been cleared up in my mind. When I saw the new information today I took immediate action. What more do you want? Why this crusade? You are acting like an idiot. The authorities I spoke with today didn't indicate they had any issue whatsoever with me. I am good with that. I am sorry I don't live up to your high moral standards though. I will strive very hard though....

[aaron1050]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

According to the plea agreement again, the maximum fine is twice the gross gain. And obviously I know how to read, my point is that "appropriate" has to be defined in terms of what the law provides.

Why? I characterized what I felt would be appropriate punishments for Mastro and crew, not what would be appropriate per applicable sentencing guidelines.

Given the breadth and volume and time period of the fraud, it's brazen nature, and the lack of remorse expressed, my gut tells me 7-10 years and $3M to $5M would have been these guys getting "what they had coming" and an appropriate punishment.

As it is, they're going to jail for a decent amount of time so at least there's that. And at least there's no more real quibbling. Everyone knows these guys are convicted criminals who will do time. Considering where we were with the Mastro/Legendary guys in 2008, it's pretty incredible that we reached this point.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Aaron we definitely agree on the bigger point.