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Former flight management firm owner pleads guilty to fraud

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The former owner and operator of an Indianapolis-based flight management services company pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of defrauding a charter airline in Rockford, Ill.

David A. Chaisson is one of two men charged in separate schemes to defraud Ryan International Airlines. James E. Murphy, the former owner and operator of a Florida aviation fuel supply company, also pleaded guilty to similar charges.

Prosecutors say the schemes involved kickback payments in exchange for business.

From January 2005 to July 2008, Chaisson paid a Ryan official more than $60,000 in kickbacks, including payments based on fabricated invoices submitted by Chaisson’s company to Ryan, according to court documents. Chaisson’s company was responsible for managing the ground operations for Ryan flights.

During the same years, Murphy paid more than $130,000 in kickbacks to the same Ryan official, who was responsible for procuring jet fuel for Ryan flights. In exchange, the Ryan official provided aviation fuel contracts to Murphy’s company and two other aviation fuel-supply companies where Murphy worked as a corporate bookkeeper, according to court documents.

Ryan International Airlines provides air passenger and cargo services for corporations, private individuals, professional sports teams and the U.S. government.

Both Chaisson and Murphy were charged in July with once count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud, as well as one count of wire fraud. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
 
The charges were filed in South Florida federal court. They are the first to arise from the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation into fraud and anticompetitive behavior in the airline charter services industry.

 

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  1. The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.

  2. I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!

  3. Coming from her background,she should be used to those kinds of advances! Menard probably figured it was ok to tuck a buck!

  4. I'm still waiting for the list of available, high quality apartments in the Village.

  5. This criminal masquerading as a lawyer obviously has serious issues. He’s been proven by his own testimony to be a pathological liar and probably has a personality disorder as he seems to be constructing a reality around himself. He places no value on truth, honesty or loyalty as evidenced by what he has done to his clients and his own family. And by the demands and lies he has made in court, it is evident he feels entitled to do and say whatever suits his purpose and everyone else is expected to nod obediently and believe him because he is, after all, Bill Super Lawyer; or BS lawyer for short. This millionaire wanna-be no longer owns anything of value; he squandered it and put everything he had into foreclosure. He has no money, house, car, boat or vacation home left to show for what he earned or what he stole. He’s just another loser without morals who will be doing time. I’m certain all of his courtroom shenanigans are antagonizing his poor victims. As Lamar said, his behavior and claims in court have been outrageous. The judge needs to be more than concerned; he needs to be judicial and end this nonsense.

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