Durham, Cochran and Snow

Newest federal inductees into the Dewey, Cheathem, and How fraternity, and Club Fed are the team of Durham, Cochran, and Snow.  Our three nefarious inductees all have won all expense paid incarceration in as of yet unnamed federal correctional facilities.

Mr. Durham has been awarded 50 years of incarceration at a federal facility of the government choice for his part in an outstanding effort in the field of wire fraud and securities fraud to the tune of $208,000,000.00 ($208 Million)(Which is a record for the state of Indiana) as CEO of Obsidian Enterprises of Indianapolis, Indiana and former CEO of Fair Finance of Akron Ohio.  The US Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Joe Hogsett note that these criminal charges had nothing to do with his Mr. Durham other job as CEO of National Lampoon.  Other notable accomplishments were Mr. Durham fund raising for the Republican Party (I wonder if the Republican Party and any candidates that he made contributions to will give back the money that he raised for them and or he donated to them?).

Mr. Durham who is 50 years old can be out of stir with good behavior by the time he is 93 and a half, congratulations you have just been handed a death sentence, statistically you have about as much chance of seeing 93.5 years of age as me wining the latest Powerball lottery, (what do you mean someone else won, and they are from Missouri!).  Look at it this way your repayment to society will be at a rate between $11,397 and $13,085 for each day that you serve (Full 50 year or 43.5 year for good behavior).  Technically you are responsible for the whole amount of the fraud, but I am just guessing you already know that.

Mr. Cochran chairman of Fair Finance of Akron Ohio was awarded a total of 25 years of incarceration at a federal facility of the government choice for his supporting role in the field of wire fraud and securities fraud.  Since Mr. Cochran was only awarded half as many years he must have had dirt on one hand (right or left?).  Mr. Cochran who is 57 years old will be 82 years old if he survives incarceration and serves his full sentence, with good time Mr. Cochran could be out when he is nearly 79 years old.  What a way to spend your golden years, well played sir, well played.

Mr. Cochran repayment to society will be at a rate between $22,794 and $26,173 for each day that you serve (Full 25 years or 22 years with good behavior).   Mr. Cochran technically you are responsible for the whole amount of the fraud, you know in for a penny in for a pound.  What a deal Mr. Cochran certainly better than Mr. Durham.

Finally there is Mr. Snow, the ex Chief Financial Officer of Fair Finance.  He was award a total of 10 years of incarceration for his supporting yet uninspiring role in the field of wire fraud and securities fraud, not a really stellar performance sir, next time; if there is next time you should try harder.  10 years in a federal correctional facility to be named by the government is a really sucky consolation prize.  Mr. Snow who is 49 years old will be 59 years old provided he survives his incarceration (it is likely that he should), but with good time he could be out when he is nearly 58, now that’s something to look forward to.  58 years old a convicted federal felon looking for a job (Three strikes against your, convicted felon, age, and an unexplained gap in your work history, not a wining combination), is life great or what.  He might actually spend some of his golden years outside of the wire, missing that 0300 hrs. Bed check.  Do not blame the Bed check on the institution blame it on others who came before you and took this particular time in the morning to either escape or try to escape.

Mr. Snow repayment to society will be at a rate between $56,986 and $65,429 for each day that you serve (Full 10 years or 8.7 years with good behavior).  Mr. Snow it appears that you have the best deal.  Were you the weakest link?  Again as in the case of the other two defendants you to are also responsible for the full amount of the fraud.

Gentleman all of you should remember the lines from the song “Ride Captain Ride” by Blues Image, as you are being in processed at the Federal Correctional facility of the government choice.

“On your way to a world that others might have missed. Ride Captain Ride Upon your mystery ship, Be amazed at all of the friends you have here on your trip”

For prison is a world that many others have missed.  Having friends is outside of the walls and keeping them is truly amazing.  In all probability you will join the missing.  As one who has processed incoming inmates to a correctional facilities, it is something that still gives me chills, and I got to go home every evening, it was a hell of a way to put myself through college, and as soon as I could find other employment, I did.

I do not know if any of you gentlemen have wives and or children, but if you do I offer my condolences to them in this their hour of travail.  May the scars of your personal failure inflicted on your families’ members be small and or inconsequential, but somehow I believe that this will not be the case.

Gentleman Bon Chance, it is more than you gave your victims.  It is unfortunate for your families that in the game of life there are no Mulligans.  There is always a chance of a Presidential pardon, granted right now many will classify it as non-existent, or that the Federal Statues on good time are revised and relaxed, but the odds on this appear to be quite long (elected representatives want to appear to be hard on crime and criminals before I suspect that you would not blame them for this position, but right now I suspect your position on the subject might be changing), but stranger things have happen, just not too often (Black Swans anyone?).

Rajat Gupta is now a “Real Player”

Rajat Gupta friends and associates recounted in several article as to why he did what he did, in that for whatever reason he wanted to be in their words a “Real Player”.

Congratulation Rajat you are now a “Real Player”, and like all “Real Player” you now have a rap sheet, with 4 Felony convictions, and not just any Felony Convictions but Federal Felony Convictions, you have arrived in the big league, way to go big fella, you are off to one nice start on the road to being a “Real Player”.  Now you get to spend a little time in stir (it just adds to the mystic of being a “Real Player”), do not worry a “Real Player” like you can do 24 months on standing on your head, and you just might spend some of it on your head so for gosh darn sakes be careful.  The 24 months gets you a minimum-security facility according to the Federal Correction Facilities guidelines (Lucky You, the Judge did you a favor, and you should write him a thank you note).  The bad news is there is no parole from federal prison (You can thank your Congressman and Senator for that feature).

You get to report after the first of the year, “Real Player” get taken from the courtroom to the holding cell to the bus, to the facility. (Again you should write the Judge a thank you note)

Compared to your life now it will be really bad, but you can take it after all you are a “Real Player”.  To an individual who has been to either a medium, high security, or maximum Security they will not look at you as a “Real Player”, they will look at you as having only played in the Class A league.  Medium Security being Double A, High Security as Triple A, and Maximum Security as the Big League.  But remember all of the leagues keep score and they all play for keeps.

Rajat just a little note “Real Players” do not whine, the guards do not like it, and guess what the other “Real Player” really hate it.  Every freaking day will be Ground Hog Day, get use to it, cause after all you a “Real Player”.  Your time is their time.  The food selection sucks, but not as bad as the food sucks, hopefully someone puts money into your account so that you can get stuff from the commissary (Note selection here is also very limited).  Who can visit you and when they can visit you and how often they can visit you, how long they can visit you will not be in your sphere of control.  “Real Players” do not have control.

Early Release, the good news is that it possible, the bad news reduction is minimal (Again you should take a moment to thank your Congressman and Senator for this feature of the Law).  If your sentence is greater than 1 year but less than life, you already might be a winner, in that if you keep your nose clean, they might take 54 days off your sentence (So one full year of good behavior is only worth 54 Days, what a system).  It does not appear that any additional time off can be earned for that last year of your sentence, but you could lose any and all “good time” by even the most minor of offenses in that last year.

When you get out you will be something really special, it is called “unemployable”, because you are now a CONVICTED FELON, but given your age that may not be an issue.  When you get out it will be spooky.

You will have to be careful with who you hang out with especially during your supervised time after your release, given that hanging with other convicted felons is not acceptable for you or them.  Do not worry about holding any type of state issued professional licensed because that is not going to happen because you are a CONVICTED FELON.  Do not worry about getting any type of position where you have to be bonded, cause you are a CONVICTED FELON.  Forget about voting, because you are a CONVICTED FELON.

I am not sure if it has really hit you already, but I know it will hit you one night in your first week, that it really sucks to be a “Real Player”.  To have climbed so high and to have fallen so far it is a sin.  Your real test will not be prison; it will be what you do with the time God has given you after you leave prison.