Failed to mention in this thread is that Erpenbeck was not the one that told the FBI about the buried money. It was Erpenbeck's brother who was the rat.

Does anyone have an issue with Skidmore's sentencing? Telling a lie to a federal agent gets you 5 years? Yikes.

 

Do you think that's overly harsh, or too easy?

Do you think that's overly harsh, or too easy?

 

Too harsh.

Failed to mention in this thread is that Erpenbeck was not the one that told the FBI about the buried money. It was Erpenbeck's brother who was the rat.

 

You're wrong, according to the article:

 

That’s when Bill Erpenbeck summoned agents to the federal prison in Florida where he is serving a 25-year sentence to say Skidmore was given about $250,000 in cash to hold for him until his release.

 

Agents then enlisted Jeff Erpenbeck, a co-owner in Bill Erpenbeck’s former home building company, to secretly record Skidmore in September 2009 talking about burying the money near the third tee box on the country club’s golf course, according to motion by Skidmore’s lawyers. Skidmore once lived next to Bill Erpenbeck in a luxury home that overlooked the members-only club.

 

As authorities were literally digging up the cash in October 2009, an FBI agent met Skidmore at Montgomery Inn in Fort Mitchell, according to the plea agreement. After Skidmore again denied any knowledge of hidden assets, the FBI agent informed him of the dig at the golf course.

 

“At that time, (Skidmore) admitted he had hidden the money that had been given to him to hold by Erpenbeck,” reads the plea agreement. “(Skidmore) then agreed to and did assist the FBI in locating the money at the golf course.”

Too harsh.

 

Honestly, I don't know. I think my honest response would be, why lie to the Feds in the first place? He's already got a friend doing a quarter-century in prison for the same case he's being questioned about. It would seem apparent to me that they mean business, and laws are laws. Especially when he knows he's done some pretty sketchy (and/or illegal) stuff by stashing that $$, why would he do knowingly do something that can get him in even more trouble?

 

Now, in light of other federal perjury convictions that I can think of...Scooter Libby, for example, had a possible sentence of 25 years and a $1million fine. He got 30 months and a $250,000 fine. Now, compare to that Skidmore's possible 5 years and $250,000, I don't think it's all that bad. I'd also say that I'd be surprised to see him get the maximum sentence anyway.

 

I would say, however, one thing that seems to have been forgotten over the years in light of the whole Erpenbeck scandal was the fact that all of the money that Bill and his cohorts were piling up helped effectively destroy the retirement funds of lots of people. In a very rudimentary sense, that money that Steve was stashing underground for Bill to collect after he got out of jail could have meant that some worker making $50K a year could have retired five years sooner. Does it make me feel sorry for him that he may have to spend 5 years in a jail cell for causing some poor guy he doesn't know 5 more years of working a miserable job? You bet it doesn't.

Failed to mention in this thread is that Erpenbeck was not the one that told the FBI about the buried money. It was Erpenbeck's brother who was the rat.

 

Egh...I don't see what makes him a "rat". Bill told the Feds about the money, and after finding that out, the Feds went to his brother Jeff to get recorded evidence from Skidmore. As far as I see it, he was aiding in a Federal investigation. I'd call that a good thing.

Honestly, I don't know. I think my honest response would be, why lie to the Feds in the first place? He's already got a friend doing a quarter-century in prison for the same case he's being questioned about. It would seem apparent to me that they mean business, and laws are laws. Especially when he knows he's done some pretty sketchy (and/or illegal) stuff by stashing that $$, why would he do knowingly do something that can get him in even more trouble?

 

Now, in light of other federal perjury convictions that I can think of...Scooter Libby, for example, had a possible sentence of 25 years and a $1million fine. He got 30 months and a $250,000 fine. Now, compare to that Skidmore's possible 5 years and $250,000, I don't think it's all that bad. I'd also say that I'd be surprised to see him get the maximum sentence anyway.

 

I would say, however, one thing that seems to have been forgotten over the years in light of the whole Erpenbeck scandal was the fact that all of the money that Bill and his cohorts were piling up helped effectively destroy the retirement funds of lots of people. In a very rudimentary sense, that money that Steve was stashing underground for Bill to collect after he got out of jail could have meant that some worker making $50K a year could have retired five years sooner. Does it make me feel sorry for him that he may have to spend 5 years in a jail cell for causing some poor guy he doesn't know 5 more years of working a miserable job? You bet it doesn't.

 

There's no doubt that, in this situation, Skidmore deserves the time. My question was intended to be more general.

 

If you want to charge the liar with obstruction of justice, then so be it. If you want to hold the liar in contempt, then so be it. If you want to make the statements under oath, subject to a penalty of perjury, then so be it. I just don't agree with the idea that lying to a federal investigator is a crime in and of itself.

There's no doubt that, in this situation, Skidmore deserves the time. My question was intended to be more general.

 

If you want to charge the liar with obstruction of justice, then so be it. If you want to hold the liar in contempt, then so be it. If you want to make the statements under oath, subject to a penalty of perjury, then so be it. I just don't agree with the idea that lying to a federal investigator is a crime in and of itself.

 

You should be Karen Sypher's attorney. :lol:

There's no doubt that, in this situation, Skidmore deserves the time. My question was intended to be more general.

 

If you want to charge the liar with obstruction of justice, then so be it. If you want to hold the liar in contempt, then so be it. If you want to make the statements under oath, subject to a penalty of perjury, then so be it. I just don't agree with the idea that lying to a federal investigator is a crime in and of itself.

 

I dunno...I guess the way I see it, is that it's against the law, regardless. Laws are put into place to protect people and help serve justice. Laws have been written to force people to be truthful when they are talking to federal investigators when they're trying to solve cases. I just don't see a problem with laws forcing somebody to tell the truth...