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'Suicide is Painless' message on car baffles FBI Story Highlights Message scrawled in dust on hood of car abandoned on bridge
Car is registered to hedge fund swindler due to report to prison
There are no signs of a jumper, no witnesses
Police unable to reach Samuel Israel III, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison
WHITE PLAINS, New York (AP) -- A car abandoned on a bridge with the phrase "Suicide is Painless" scrawled in the dust on its hood is registered to a hedge-fund swindler who was supposed to report to federal prison, state police said Tuesday.
Investigator Bruce Cuccia said suicide has not been established, no body has been found and no one saw anyone jump. The FBI has joined the investigation and a search is under way, he said.
The car, a 2006 GMC Envoy, was registered to Samuel Israel III of Armonk, Cuccia said. It was found on Monday on the Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River, near West Point and about 40 miles north of New York City.
On its hood, etched into the dust and pollen, were the words "Suicide is Painless," the name of the theme of the classic "MASH" television show. The song was sung during the original movie.
No other note was found, Cuccia said.
Investigator Tim Miller said police have not been able to reach Israel. No home telephone number was listed for him.
The U.S. attorney's office, which prosecuted Israel, had no comment, said spokesman Herb Hadad. A call to the FBI was not immediately returned.
Israel, 48, was sentenced in April to 20 years in federal prison for illegally inducing investors to put more than $450 million into now-collapsed Bayou hedge funds. He was also ordered to pay back $300 million to his victims.
Judge Colleen McMahon called him the mastermind of the scheme and said the prison term was meant to show that "people who commit crimes while wearing a tie do not get a break."
She set Monday as the deadline for Israel to surrender. Cuccia said he had been expected at 2 p.m. at the federal prison in Ayer, Mass.
State police aircraft and boats from the Westchester and Rockland county police searched the Hudson on Monday and the boats resumed the search Tuesday morning, Cuccia said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
All AboutCriminal Sentencing and Punishment • Hedge Funds
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Posts: 3311 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
I'll be looking frward to watching this on a "48 hours mystery"
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Posts: 10204 | From: NYC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Hmmmm.....for some reason I feel a little juiced all of a sudden.
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Posts: 3311 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
He is sentenced to 20 years in April and is suppose to report in June.
I don't know about you guys but if i was sentenced to 20 years at age 48 and had what it appears to be a lot of money i know i would be on my way somewhere if they gave me that much time to put it all together.
I cannot imagine that someone in the system did not expect that.
Posts: 3875 | From: ca. | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Pagan: Hmmmm.....for some reason I feel a little juiced all of a sudden.
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Posts: 10204 | From: NYC | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by T e x: What I notice...is nothing in the story supports that hed...seriously doubt the FBI is "baffled."
Now I'm baffled, huh?
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Posts: 3311 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:The FBI has joined the investigation and a search is under way, he said.
quote:A call to the FBI was not immediately returned.
So, how did the writer of that hed get the idea the FBI is baffled?
Not saying they'll locate the guy (or the body) right away--but baffled? They're prolly laughing at the dumazz judge who didn't recognize the flight risk...
quote:Originally posted by T e x: What I notice...is nothing in the story supports that hed...seriously doubt the FBI is "baffled."
It doesn't take much to baffle the FBI
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Posts: 10204 | From: NYC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
I'm not too surprised at how close the game was, way too many people were underestimating how good a defensive team the Celtics are. Boston forces team to play half court by not allowing a lot of fastbreak points. Gasol has been a non-factor offensively though he did a nice job defensively on KG. Vujacic came up huge and so did the Lakers D. Losing Rondo didn't help.
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Posts: 10204 | From: NYC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I agree it is ugly. I'm not a fan of either team but i definitely appreciate the great defense that's being played. Nice to see Kobe having some faith in his teamates and not forcing too many plays tonight. I think this series goes 7 games and will be one hell of a battle.
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Posts: 10204 | From: NYC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
I saw a show about this same thing before on either unsolved mysteries, americase most wanted, 60 minutes...or something like that.
There was a guy from the military..can't remember if it was the navy, army, or marines...but while he was living at the base or military family housing area...or what ever you call it.
He raped and molested young women...and he was caught and going to trial. But he faked his own death with a fire in a trailer...then he was caught again....but before the main trial....he hung himself like a little bi%ch....
They interviewed one of the female victims and she was upset...cause it's like he escaped again.....by killing himself before justice could be served.
Posts: 2321 | Registered: Aug 2006
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Missing hedge fund manager's girlfriend arrested
Authorities say Debra Ryan helped Sam Israel III pack RV before disappearance
Complaint says Ryan, 45, followed as Israel drove RV to upstate New York
Israel never reported to prison to begin 20-year sentence for defrauding investors
His car was found last week with "suicide is painless" scrawled in dust on hood
From Laura Dolan CNN NEW YORK (CNN) -- Federal marshals arrested the girlfriend of a hedge fund manager who disappeared on the day he was to start a 20-year prison sentence for defrauding investors, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Authorities say Debra Ryan, 45, admitted to helping Sam Israel III pack an RV with his belongings and a motor scooter prior to his June 9 disappearance.
Ryan, who lived with Israel in Armonk, New York, is charged with aiding and abetting Israel in his failure to report to a Massachusetts prison.
Ryan was released on $75,000 bond. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
The search for Israel, 48, began when he failed to report to prison to serve a sentence for defrauding hedge fund Bayou Management investors out of some $450 million.
His burgundy 2006 GMC Envoy was found last week on Bear Mountain Bridge in upstate New York with the words "suicide is painless" written in dust on the hood.
Police searched the river for a body, but the U.S. Attorney's office has since described Israel's disappearance as a fugitive search rather than a suicide investigation.
"We're continuing to work with federal marshals and the U.S. attorney's office in an effort to locate Sam Israel," FBI spokesman Jim Margolin said.
A federal court complaint alleges that on June 9, Ryan followed Israel in her car as he drove the RV to a highway rest stop in upstate New York. After Israel parked the RV, Ryan drove Israel him back to their home, according to the complaint.
Federal officials would not say who drove Israel's car to the bridge, nor would they confirm who they believe later drove Israel from the bridge to his RV.
The U.S. Marshals Service said it is searching for a white 2007 Coach Freelander RV and a blue 2005 Yamaha scooter that Israel may be using.
The U.S. Marshals say Israel goes by the aliases Sam Ryan and David Clapp.
All AboutCriminal Sentencing and Punishment • Hedge Funds
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Posts: 3311 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Missing hedge fund manager turns himself in
NEW: U.S. marshals had been talking to Israel's mother, spokeswoman says
Sam Israel to be transferred to prison, U.S. Marshals Office says
Israel disappeared June 9, the day he was to start 20-year prison sentence
Israel's SUV was found with "suicide is painless" written in dust on the hood
(CNN) -- A convicted hedge fund manager who disappeared last month turned himself in to local authorities in Southwick, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Marshals Office.
U.S. marshals had been in frequent contact with the mother of the fugitive, Sam Israel III, according to a spokeswoman for the U.S. Marshals Service.
"The marshals talked to her immediately before his surrender," said Marshals Service spokeswoman Carolyn Gwathmey.
Israel was on the phone with his mother when he surrendered Wednesday, Gwathmey said.
Israel, 48, had failed to show up June 9 at a Massachusetts prison to serve his sentence for defrauding investors of the hedge fund Bayou Management of approximately $450 million.
His SUV was later found on a New York bridge with the words "suicide is painless" written in the dust on the hood.
The U.S. Marshals Office expects Israel to be transferred to the federal facility where he was supposed to turn himself in the day he disappeared.
Any other charges to be brought against Israel will be decided by the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York.
Last week, federal marshals arrested Israel's girlfriend, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Authorities said Debra Ryan, 45, admitted to helping Israel pack an RV with his belongings and a motor scooter before his June 9 disappearance.
Ryan, who lived with Israel in Armonk, New York, was charged with aiding and abetting Israel in his failure to report to prison.
Ryan was released on $75,000 bond. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
After Israel's burgundy 2006 GMC Envoy was found on Bear Mountain Bridge in upstate New York, police searched the river for a body, but the U.S. Attorney's Office later described Israel's disappearance as a fugitive search rather than a suicide investigation.
A federal court complaint alleges that on June 9, Ryan followed Israel in her car as he drove the RV to a highway rest stop in upstate New York. After Israel parked the RV, Ryan drove Israel back to their home, according to the complaint.
Federal officials would not say who drove Israel's car to the bridge, nor would they confirm who they believe later drove Israel from the bridge to his RV.
U.S. marshals say Israel goes by the aliases Sam Ryan and David Clapp.
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Posts: 3311 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2005
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