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Funny business in the Delta: Farmer, bankers accused of racketeering
Posted on 3/8/17 at 11:17 pm
Posted on 3/8/17 at 11:17 pm
LINK
quote:
Litigation in state and federal courts have shed light on accusations that three banks in the region conspired in a racketeering scheme with a large farmer and a Delhi certified public accounting firm to bilk millions of dollars from five farmers as well as to avoid payments owed to agribusiness lenders and others.
The allegations are centered on farmer Thomas “Tommy” Dickerson, of Delhi, whose financial affairs were handled by David Stephens, a tax preparer with Pickett & Co. CPA of Delhi, as well as by Lawrence “Larry” Pickett Jr., owner of Pickett & Co. CPA. The three banks supporting Dickerson's operations by allegedly ignoring or circumventing banking regulations are Commercial Capital Bank of Delhi, Caldwell Bank & Trust Co. of Columbia and Franklin State Bank of Winnsboro. Pickett also is the chairman of Commercial Capital Bank's board of directors.
quote:
The lawsuit, Scott Higdon and others v. Thomas A. Dickerson and others, was filed Feb. 22. The suit claimed the defendants conspired against five plaintiffs who were recruited by Dickerson to help farm his 20,000 acres. The plaintiffs include the Higdons as well as William “Jake” Casiday, Kevin Ward, Joseph “Blake” Lively and Shawn Tibbs. Ward is from Ouachita Parish, the Higdons from Richland Parish, and the others are from Franklin Parish.
According to the Higdon lawsuit, filed by Monroe attorney Sedric Banks, Dickerson recruited the plaintiffs and convinced them to let Pickett & Co. prepare their personal tax returns as part of a scheme to organize farming operations for Dickerson.
quote:
In March 2016, fraud, theft, money laundering, forgery and racketeering were exposed, only after “as much as $30 million was discovered missing in mortgaged crops, crops placed in the government loan program, forged checks, etc.,” according to the Higdon lawsuit.
quote:
Fifth Judicial District Court Judge Terry Doughty was assigned the Agrifund case, in which Stephens is a defendant.
Both Secretary of State records and a letter written by Doughty as part of the court record in Stowe v. Jordan indicate Doughty and Stephens were in business together at one time.
Doughty also is presiding over Stowe v. Jordan, in which Stephens is a defendant. In spite of Doughty's past as Stephens' business associate, Doughty has not recused himself from Stowe v. Jordan, though a motion to recuse him from that case is pending.
As reported last month by The Sun, Doughty tried to avoid recusing himself from Stowe v. Jordan by writing a letter to counsel, acknowledging his relationship with Stephens. In his letter, Doughty asked counsel to discuss the matter of recusal with their clients.
Stephens' attorney, Adam Cossey of Monroe, reported no objection. Banks, who represents plaintiffs in both Stowe v. Jordan and in the Higdon lawsuit, filed the motion to recuse Doughty, which is expected to be taken up later this month.
Posted on 3/8/17 at 11:22 pm to Jim Rockford
So, these guys steal $30 million.
They'll get 1 year in a federal penetentiary, max.
Low class thugs steal 200 bucks from a convenience store and get 5 years in a shitty state prison.
They'll get 1 year in a federal penetentiary, max.
Low class thugs steal 200 bucks from a convenience store and get 5 years in a shitty state prison.
Posted on 3/8/17 at 11:33 pm to East Coast Band
Probably, but being bankrupted and publicly humiliated is probably worse than doing time to guys like this.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 12:30 am to Jim Rockford
It really is. I know some of these people and they all are going to continue to suffer, along with their families and friends. It's a life changer for a lot of people, and will continue to be a slow motion train wreck as it plays out.
Just a damn shame.
Just a damn shame.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 12:31 am to Jim Rockford
Funny business aka skullduggery
Posted on 3/9/17 at 2:19 am to East Coast Band
quote:
So, these guys steal $30 million.
They'll get 1 year in a federal penetentiary, max.
One of the most powerful men in the history of this state spent 8 years for racketeering.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 2:22 am to Jim Rockford
quote:
Joseph “Blake” Lively
Well played baws
Posted on 3/9/17 at 2:36 am to Jim Rockford
The more dirt comes up on this case the more it all stinks. Dickerson and the guys involved with him are scum, they give farmers and bankers a bad name, and they've ruined the lives of these guys they drug down in the schemes as well.
I wish nothing but ill on them in the future.
I wish nothing but ill on them in the future.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 3:42 am to Decisions
After skimming through the linked article, what a cluster frick to figure out and follow.
Seems to have been a lot of scheming taking place.
Seems to have been a lot of scheming taking place.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 5:24 am to Jim Rockford
The judge was in business with one of the defendants. Lulz
Posted on 3/9/17 at 5:49 am to Jim Rockford
My head is spinning after reading that. One question why?
Posted on 3/9/17 at 5:54 am to tigerpimpbot
Two CPA's, three bankers, forged documents, fraudulent loans, tax fraud...gentlemen...if any of that shite sticks to the Dickerson cat, he ain't gonna get probation.
What an amazing story. I'll bet people in that community have known something smelled with that whole deal for years.
What's impressive to me though is that someone finally stood up to an obviously powerful guy, his web of CPA's and bankers and didn't even flinch when his tentacles extended into the judge assigned to the case.
The balls-and the exhaustive research-required on the part of plaintiffs and the attorney on this one are fairly impressive.
What an amazing story. I'll bet people in that community have known something smelled with that whole deal for years.
What's impressive to me though is that someone finally stood up to an obviously powerful guy, his web of CPA's and bankers and didn't even flinch when his tentacles extended into the judge assigned to the case.
The balls-and the exhaustive research-required on the part of plaintiffs and the attorney on this one are fairly impressive.
This post was edited on 3/9/17 at 5:55 am
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:02 am to Jim Rockford
I was wondering if this would make it here. According to the FBI this is the largest fraud case in the history of Louisiana . Pretty impressive for an ole Richland parish baw.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:02 am to GFunk
Out in these rural areas where there isn't much of any federal law enforcement presence I think these kind of characters start feeling like they are the law and can do whatever they want without any consequences.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:02 am to LSUballs
quote:
the largest fraud case in the history of Louisiana
DAMN
Wow, this was basically just a check kiting scheme. What a bunch of idiots!
This post was edited on 3/9/17 at 6:09 am
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:13 am to LSUballs
quote:
I was wondering if this would make it here. According to the FBI this is the largest fraud case in the history of Louisiana . Pretty impressive for an ole Richland parish baw.
Was this baw a golfer? Always wonder why black bear is such a quality course.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:15 am to dagrippa
quote:
One question why?
Money and power.
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:17 am to LSUTigersVCURams
quote:
Wow, this was basically just a check kiting scheme.
There was plenty of that going on but a shite load more. Tommy got a $500,000 Federal Income Tax return in ole boy's name mailed to his house and he cashed it. He would change the names of the dudes that worked for him and get federal payments (farm subsidies) in their fake names mailed directly to him. Kiting checks is only some of it
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:18 am to Jim Rockford
Never trust anyone with a nickname with quotes around them.......ever!
Posted on 3/9/17 at 6:23 am to LSUballs
Do we have drug addiction as a root cause here? Or arrogance? Crazy to think this would not get caught.
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