Prison for 26 Viable Defendants Sought By Prosecutors
“Prosecutors have said that they will seek unspecified jail time in addition to forfeiture of the contractors’ business.”
More tidbits are included in the article.
Twenty interpreters were used by the prosecutors investigating this systematic fraud.
“The seven contractors who are allegedly defrauded the system account for approximately 15 percent of its total business“ Blink. Damn, that’s a lot. Twenty-Six Indicted in Scheme to Defraud the Deaf
As reported earlier by MZ in previous blogs, the lives of Deaf people in the prisons are exceptionally difficult and lonely, with their rights and communication access frequently deprived. In other words, they face cruel and unusual punishment due to their deafness.
Until they are convicted by their peers, these defendants are deemed innocent. I did get comments in the previous post , including one from an interpreter feeling resentful for being involved in this fraud and heard from several former employees, all whom I don’t know well personally. All I can say is that it doesn’t look good for these accused. A jury will determine their fate.
It’s really too bad that this had to happen. Both the Deaf Community and VRS business have been harmed already, more than I think many people suspect. The innocent workers, both hearing and Deaf, experienced financial losses due to no pay. The trust of the Deaf Community had been shattered. The taxpayers feel deceived and may object to the high expenses of VRS operations. The reductions of future payments to VRS companies may ensue. Time will tell if this happens or not.
“Prosecutors have said that they will seek unspecified jail time in addition to forfeiture of the contractors’ business.”
More tidbits are included in the article.
Twenty interpreters were used by the prosecutors investigating this systematic fraud.
“The seven contractors who are allegedly defrauded the system account for approximately 15 percent of its total business“ Blink. Damn, that’s a lot. Twenty-Six Indicted in Scheme to Defraud the Deaf
As reported earlier by MZ in previous blogs, the lives of Deaf people in the prisons are exceptionally difficult and lonely, with their rights and communication access frequently deprived. In other words, they face cruel and unusual punishment due to their deafness.
Until they are convicted by their peers, these defendants are deemed innocent. I did get comments in the previous post , including one from an interpreter feeling resentful for being involved in this fraud and heard from several former employees, all whom I don’t know well personally. All I can say is that it doesn’t look good for these accused. A jury will determine their fate.
It’s really too bad that this had to happen. Both the Deaf Community and VRS business have been harmed already, more than I think many people suspect. The innocent workers, both hearing and Deaf, experienced financial losses due to no pay. The trust of the Deaf Community had been shattered. The taxpayers feel deceived and may object to the high expenses of VRS operations. The reductions of future payments to VRS companies may ensue. Time will tell if this happens or not.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Sigh, Deafread.com should be awarded for king of repost. That article didn’t say anything new.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:46 am
The material I just read on your blog is recycled stuff but thanks for emphasizing prison time and this is what 26 and hopefully more will receive in event of being found guilty. What we seek is hard information about recent proceedings taking place in New Jersey. No news articles as of now.
As for the few bitter interpreters I’m sure you are ignoring them. They’re crying wolf but not realizing deaf people are similarly affected by this ranging from being denied jobs to constant hangs up by wary ones receiving relay calls and not wanting to do anything with relay calls.
December 16th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Yes, it was being recycled.. with the exception of 20 interpreters being used to investigate this (that cost a fortune!!) and 15 percent of the VRS being defrauded which were news to me. But I wanted to emphasize the prison part and what prison life is like for the Deaf. It’s really crual and unusual punishment.
I wanted to add my two cents back then, but I had almost no access to the Internet the several weeks I was out of town, hence the late post.
The interpreter did have an excellent point about the Deaf people participating in this fraud. They had to know something was amiss, calling VRS to connect to pod posts, with the terps not on screen. They are not stupid. In my opinion, they helped make this alleged fraud possible, whether we want to admit that or not :/. Being subjected to abuses from the hearing community doesn’t excuse any criminal behavior from Deaf people. Two wrongs don’t make it right. However, I don’t necessarily agree that all these Deaf people are on SSI/SSDI. That’s a stereotype. They may be gainfully employed and I suspect most of them, if not all, are.
About the deaf workers who participated in the fraud returning funds, I don’t know. The prosecutors probably may be using them as key witnesses so they may be given immunity, if not fined. Along with the interpreters who were also used for this fraud. These people are the small fishes in this fraud where the feds are going for the big fishes. I’m not a laywer, but that’s the usual scenario. We’ll see.
I’ll check about the recent proceeding of NJ court. Thanks for reminding me.
December 16th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
The article’s title is: “Twenty-Six Indicted in Scheme to Defraud the Deaf”
Defraud the deaf? LOL
December 16th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
LOL. Good catch, JJ
Kevi, please read my first comment. I’m playing catch up as I was out of town for quite a while and wanted to add my two cent. I just published the last few comments of my previous post yesterday and thought the comments from the VRS workers interesting.
December 16th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I hope each of the individuals found to be guilty will be imprisoned at separate facilities and do long and hard time. No mercy. No deaf cards used. Prison is tough not only for the deaf but for all.
December 16th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
D.A., ouch. Don’t you think that’s a little harsh? Hearing prisoners can communicate with each other. Separated from each other, how can Deaf prisoners communicate? Being jailed with a loss of freedom for violating a law is the appropriate punishment, but that punishment doesn’t mean one must lose the opportunity to communicate with others. The loss of human interaction is a human right violation which the hearing prisoners are not subjected to. Do you think it’s fair for the Deaf prisoners to be punished more severely than the hearing prisoners?
December 16th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I hope Federal guidelines calls for stamping out repeated cycles of wrongdoings by separating the convicts. The old days had families, friends and crooked business associates bunched together but this caused more problems. Being deaf doesn’t at all give one license to seek leeway. Why single out because they’re deaf? There are non-English speaking convicts serving hard time. No excuses.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Mishka, your “…..convicted by their peers, ……..” makes me wonder what percent of the jury should be comprised of deaf folks, although I know what “peers” means, normally……just wondering out loud here. Good to see you back.
December 16th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Due to the low degrees of separations it’s hard to assemble an impartial jury comprising at least one deaf person. The Feds consulted with many experts who are honest about deaf culture and its aspects including many engaging in conflicts of interests.
December 16th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Tousi, I agree with D.A. It’s almost impossible to find a neutral Deaf person unaware of the VRS scandal and doesn’t have ties to the defendants, their friends, or their families.
Due to the extensive educational and professional experiences of these Deaf defendents, I think they will encounter no problem getting a fair trial, with qualified interpreters and strong defense teams. They will have more advantages than the average Deaf defendant.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Funds for private attorneys. I was told funds of at least one of the indicted were frozen but not sure what kind of funding. Maybe this applies to all other indicted. Because of what I personally witnessed myself it’s a no-brainer slam-dunk for the Feds.
December 16th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
In some cases, the assets suspected to be earned from the ‘crimes’ are frozen. I’ll need to reread the indictment, but likewise I do recall one contractor’s asset being frozen, but I don’t remember what the asset is. If this contractor already had other assets from previous business endeavors, they can be used to fund a private legal team. But if all the assets were invested in this business, then that person may be out of luck. Yes, like I said earlier, it doesn’t look good to me. One doesn’t mess with the feds and they want to use Viable as an example.
Wth an extremely high profile case with professional Deaf defendants, I would expect that careful measurements would be taken to ensure the defendants will have qualified interpreters. They have ample sources from their companies, anyway. More likely their lawyers will consult lawyers familiar with Deaf culture about other accommodations to maintain their clients’ rights to accessible communication. That’s what Daphne Wright’s lawyer did. Unfo, that idiot judge disregarded her requests. I doubt that will happen in this case, though.
I really wish this whole thing hadn’t happened. Viable was such a big inspiration for the Deaf Community and its pride. Will SNPVRS keep it or not? If not, many Deaf people will lose their jobs :/
The damage had been done, even if it turns out that the defendants are innocent. I am hopeful that they are innocent. A friend who was charged, I still respect him a lot, I knew his father whom I’ve worked with professionally, and still cannot fathom him doing what he’s been charged.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Sorry, I don’t have a lot of sympathy. This was going on for quite a while. Many people told those involved that their actions were illegal. They were continuously ignored.
We’re not talking about an accident or mistake. We’re talking about companies paying people to make fake calls and leave them running for several hours while those people went about their business. At $400 an hour, these fake calls added up quickly. Did the criminals think nothing would happen because they’d get the Deaf Pity vote? I don’t know.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:44 am
D.A., John Yeh’s house, declared worth of $300,000, had been forfeited at the court where he was indicted.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:53 am
I would like to gently remind some readers that NOT ALL 26 people are deaf. Only 6 are deaf;
20 are hearing. Some of the 20 hearing people are interpreters.
My heart is in pain BECAUSE the deaf world is so small. It is beyond me that some of you have a hard heart about the six deaf people.
Please…it is not too late for you to pray for the six deaf people. May God help them. Be gentle-hearted.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
anonymous…
I personally know 8 of the 26 are Deaf
December 20th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Does anyone know if Marc Velasquez Verson of Deaf studio got his assets frozen or where I can get the court info on him? Sadly he is my birth father who I never met and has escaped child support. I never thought I would find him this way. one good thing is the Government is much harsher on losing their money then people not paying child support.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:14 am
Is there a reason why you have to add “Viable” to the heading when recycling the news article from Legal Info?
Have you forgotten about other companies and people that were also indicted by the federal investigators?
Sounds like you have a personal vendetta against Viable…because it’s deaf-owned and mostly deaf-employeed. Oh, it’s crab theory all over again…sigh, deafies never learn.
Do you realize that FCC ADMITTED that it can’t figure out how much money it lost and that it doesn’t have accountability in place to prevent or reduce fraud? Why wait until many deaf and hearing people’s lives are ruined before FCC realises something’s wrong.
December 21st, 2009 at 9:27 am
You all need to stop with the pity talk for the deaf community. My parents are both deaf & hold full-time jobs. My step-dad works for the U.S. post office and my Mom works at a public school. This isn’t the 1980s or so when ADA laws weren’t as heavily enforced. There is no conspiracy theory, but it is the government and they are slow when it comes to anything aren’t they?
December 21st, 2009 at 9:28 am
This is not the first or last time hearing impaired or any disabled person will abuse a loophole in a system.
December 21st, 2009 at 9:30 am
Mishka do you know what is going on with the Deaf studio company employees that were indicted? like the person stated earlier you only point out Viable.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I learned that 3 of 26 defendents were out of jail and excused by court 3 weeks ago. That is Deaf Studio 29 owner…a core key is Marc Vesquez Vesion. He is still bad that I know. His co workers, Ellen and Doris are not working with him anymore after being out of jail. Please watch out on him if you see him. He is currently in Oregon right now.
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Eric, Crab theory? Personal vendetta? What is this?
Hello? Even the media are covering this VRS fiasco. Would you be claiming that the reporters must be suffering from ‘crab theory’ and waging a ‘personal vendetta’? Sorry to be blunt, but this is getting ridiculous. By the way, I have nothing against Viable. I am personally disappointed to see this happening, especially since it is a major Deaf company and I have a friend who is charged. I hope he will be found innocent. Pls do keep in mind that everybody is innocent until they are tried in the court first.
Paul, nobody is in prison. Some are released on their own recognition and others on bail. More than that,I don’t know. I’ve heard rumors… but you know how rumors are and I rather not report rumors, until I know for a fact.
December 31st, 2009 at 1:51 am
Paul,
If your mom hasn’t received a dime of child support from your birth father, there are two easy steps she can do:
1) Have your mom to obtain a copy of court order decree about the child support that your birth father is required to support you.
2) Contact Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency where your mom resides. Website link is:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.html and select a state.
After your mom provides all of the pertaining information facts to CSE, their agents will go after your birth father immediately.
If your birth father does not cough up past child support payments (with past late interest), his next new home will be in prison for 10+ years – instead of his current hideaway in Oregon.
Good luck and Happy New Year!
January 3rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Paul,
How old are you? I only know a little about your dad. I just know he has 2 sons, I dont know if you’re one of the 2 sons.
January 7th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Can you please tell me where to find the indictements online? I have been searching but no luck. Is there a website for it??
Thank you.
January 8th, 2010 at 8:44 am
Hello:
You can go to the PACER system for the federal courts and open an account. Then go to the NJ Federal courts and search for Yeh and other names. You can purchase a download of the indictments and other documents for .08 page.
http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/
Pat
February 4th, 2010 at 12:47 am
I know he has two other sons after me, but I don’t know anything about them. I’m his first son, so they are my half brothers. I think they are from Colorado. Child enforcement could never find him, but now with this I think they can! Let me get this right… the trial is being held in NJ? I’m trying to figure out what county so I can look up the indictments & follow the trial. I even thought about going to confront him.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:46 am
Oh yeah.. I’m 31.. I was born in Michigan, but Mark went to HS in Cincinnati where he met my Mom. He would never tell me the names of my half brothers.
you can email me at paulvelasquez7@gmail.com
Paul