Man Accused of National Navy Veterans Charity Scam Begins Trial

Brian Albrecht at the Cleveland Plain Dealer  Dealer offers a piece on the trial of "Bobby Thompson," who is accused of running a national veterans charity scam

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Selection of the people who will determine the fate of Bobby Thompson,  accused of running a national veterans charity scam, is scheduled to start today in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Authorities say that Thompson is a stolen identity used by John Cody, a fugitive from IRS fraud charges, when he was head of the U.S. Navy Veterans Association (USNVA) and swindled more than $100 million from donors nationwide from 2002-2010.

Thompson disappeared in 2010 after investigations revealed that the charity was largely a collection of hired telemarketers, bank accounts and rented mailboxes. He was tracked to Portland, Ore., where he was arrested in 2012, and has been jailed since then in Cuyahoga County.

Thompson faces charges including identity fraud, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and money laundering. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/09/bobby_thompson_trial_begins_wi.html

Note: The above U.S. Justice Department photo shows the hunt for "Bobby Thompson."

You can read an earlier post on the accused crook via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/search?q=Bobby+Thompson