Chapter3
THREE
Washington D.C. -- FBI
HEY,
VANDERWAAL, CHECK
this out. This guy's too much!"
Dear Mr. President, You don't know me -- I didn't even vote for you -- but you're going to grant me and my associates complete and unconditional pardons for crimes already committed as well as some that are still in the works. It's my hope that you would arrive at this decision on your own, simply because it's the right thing to do.
In my case, an overzealous federal prosecutor falsely accused me of running a Ponzi scheme. My assets were frozen on the exact same day that Bernie Madoff was arrested. Convincing the jury that loans are not really loans, and that contingent liabilities are actual losses, the prosecutor made it easy for them to conclude that I 'must have lied when I told lenders my programs were doing pretty good.' As a result, I was convicted and sentenced to ten years in a federal prison.
The net result is 140 of my lenders no longer receive the interest and principal that I legitimately owe them.
Inasmuch as the federal government caused this, I figured the federal government should make things right. That would include providing the money I would have paid them, but for governmental interference.
I've taken the liberty of arranging for these cash transfers. These are, in fact, some of the
crimes in the works that I need you to pardon for me.
I'm not naive, Mr. President. I know this will be difficult for you. But given the powers of persuasion that Judge Ellen Fillmore seems to think that I have, eventually you may come around.
I'm not asking for justice for all, or for the release of political prisoners, or even for a public apology (although that would be nice). I simply want the people who put their trust in me to be made whole -- protected by the full force and weight of your office.
Do this for me, Mr. President -- preferably before November -- and I promise to vote for you this time! Assuming it's legal, of course.
We'll be in touch.
Dave Ruskjer.
"And how'd we come by this?" Vanderwaal asked.
"Some kid handed it to the tour guide during a White House tour," Newman said. "He said some guy gave him $100 to deliver it."
"OK," Vanderwaal said. "Get this to the lab for prints, paper, ink -- the works."