FBI serve search warrant in Lodi

[MLyons 0]

As always, the initial report doesn’t say much. I’m hoping it will be updated soon.

http://www.kcra.com/article/federal-agents-search-skydive-center-near-acampo/15931450

[dpreguy 14]

After the execution of a search warrant, and it is returned, the affidavit(s) in support of it are available to the public. They always tell the tale.

[Trafficdiver 8]

MLyons

As always, the initial report doesn’t say much. I’m hope it will be updated soon.

http://www.kcra.com/article/federal-agents-search-skydive-center-near-acampo/15931450

[normiss 723]

Is that true of Federal warrants too?
I'm not sure the FBI makes them available like locals do.

[MLyons 0]

Just watched the report on the 10pm news. They didn’t have any additional information but made the story last a few minutes. They did say that the details would not be released as the affidavit was sealed and they said a judge would need to order it unsealed. I’m not a lawyer, just reporting what was said on the broadcast.

[obelixtim 142]

MLyons

As always, the initial report doesn’t say much. I’m hoping it will be updated soon.

http://www.kcra.com/article/federal-agents-search-skydive-center-near-acampo/15931450

Still looking for DB Cooper I take it....

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[dpreguy 14]

The affidavits in support of the issuance and the return itself are public information after the search warrant is executed...unless ......(yes, the "unless" part) the agency, state or federal asks the judge to withhold releasing the return and the supporting affidavits on the basis of "ongoing investigation", affiant's safety, etc. There has to be a reason that will fly with the judge. Eventually they are all released.

[kkeenan 14]

Juiciest gossip to appear here in quite a while. Never a dull moment at Lodi.

Kevin K.

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[Bob_Church 7]

Is there a good source for rules and, if they exist, laws governing tandem jumping in the US?

[shadeland 5]

Bob_Church

Is there a good source for rules and, if they exist, laws governing tandem jumping in the US?

FAR Part 105: http://www.flightsimaviation.com/data/FARS/part_105.html
AC 105E: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_105-2E.pdf

[Bob_Church 7]

shadeland

***Is there a good source for rules and, if they exist, laws governing tandem jumping in the US?

FAR Part 105: http://www.flightsimaviation.com/data/FARS/part_105.html
AC 105E: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_105-2E.pdf

Thank you.

[ecnuob 0]

Was the DZ open today?

An upside airplane in a vineyard and a tandem accident as a result of fraudulent/questionable ratings might have gotten Bill the attention. But I'd bet pretty much anything the FBI isn't there over some maintenance and ratings violation. Criminal statutes... Thinking more along the lines of AL Capone here.

My only question is which country bill's flying an otter full of cash too right now!

[SivaGanesha 2]

ecnuob

Was the DZ open today?

I just read a news article at recordnet.com. Can't easily cut and paste the link since I'm on my mobile device right now. But according to that article the answer to your question is 'yes': Bill was very much open for business today.

"It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

[normiss 723]

The image I saw of a sign said "Open when the FBI leaves"

[3331 127]

kkeenan

Juiciest gossip to appear here in quite a while. Never a dull moment at Lodi.
Kevin K.

+ 1

I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving.

[topdocker 0]

SivaGanesha

***Was the DZ open today?

I just read a news article at recordnet.com. Can't easily cut and paste the link since I'm on my mobile device right now. But according to that article the answer to your question is 'yes': Bill was very much open for business today.

http://www.recordnet.com/news/20180131/business-as-usual-day-after-search-at-lodi-parachute-center

top

Jump more, post less!

[Neversurfaced 0]

Quote

Sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Tuesday, the FBI, the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration, along with local law enforcement agencies, arrived at the Parachute Center to serve a search warrant, Dause said. They went through lockers and took with them credit card and cash receipts for the past two years, as well as signed waivers for tandem jumps and videos of past jumps.

Yowzers... Think I might have taken a pass on jumping Wednesday....

[fanya 3]

Neversurfaced

Quote

Sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Tuesday, the FBI, the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration, along with local law enforcement agencies, arrived at the Parachute Center to serve a search warrant, Dause said. They went through lockers and took with them credit card and cash receipts for the past two years, as well as signed waivers for tandem jumps and videos of past jumps.

Yowzers... Think I might have taken a pass on jumping Wednesday....

I love how Bill was basically like, it was a really big inconvenience to not run my planes and have skydiving going on, it cost me a lot of money.

It'll be interesting to see what comes of this. Does the FBI normally get involved for tax evasion? I mean what else would they want waivers, videos and credit card / cash receipts for other than piece together a case of felony tax evasion. Basically trying to match all the numbers up.

[Elpnor 5]

So, Lodi isn't a part of the uspa as far as I know. Which got me to wondering how many dropzones aren't, and what advantages they get for not being in. Anyone have a guestimate? Lodi is the only one I've ever heard of.

[daffes 4]

A mother of one of the recently deceased people in Lodi has made public posts on Facebook celebrating the FBI action. You can interpret from the wording that she has influenced the investigation, but it's also possible that she read the news online and just believed that she had something to do with it. I don't blame her actions.

On other "news" from Facebook...
Word says that Bill fired the FBI and asked them to take the trash on their way out ;P

[ecnuob 0]

If it is Tax Evasion and if like many DZ.com'ers claim, bill does not properly maintain his aircraft. Then the bulk of a tax evasion case is pretty easy. If Bill claims that the maintenance was done, he also has to claim that he paid for it to be done. A fraudulent business expense, and write-down on his taxes. That's the ball game right there. Might even be able to tack on felony fraud, and money laundering.

Then there is the whole question of who he payed for what. Since a large proportion of the "contractors" probably don't claim the income, and bill never 1099's them (he might not have to, even for amounts up to 20k/200 payments) then it could very well look like he is making up other expenses as well.

If you've been "working there" it might be a good idea to double check your taxes... I did notice in the report that the department of labor was there as well. If they do bend you over for past taxes I'm sure there is a labor code violation or two they might be interested in details of. Hopefully not to much shit rolls down hill on people.

I kept expecting to see Bill to ride of into the sunset the last few years, but I guess I can't really see him sitting on beach sipping Mai Tai's without puppet strings to pull all day. I guess riding it to the end is the only way for him. I hope we don't see it end this way. As much of a dick as he could be on occasion the sport does in many ways owe him a debt of gratitude.

[jlmiracle 7]

Elpnor

So, Lodi isn't a part of the uspa as far as I know. Which got me to wondering how many dropzones aren't, and what advantages they get for not being in. Anyone have a guestimate? Lodi is the only one I've ever heard of.

Lodi is not a USPA Group Member Dropzone. I don't know how many non-GM dz's there are in total out there. It may be as simple as not wanting to spend the money on the GM as they don't see the benefit. Many still require their jumpers to be USPA members.

J

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[PhreeZone 15]

There is also the possibility of "employing" instructors that were not really legal to work in the country in the first place. The instructor in the tandem fatality was from South Korea. There are some very specific rules and regulations to hiring someone if they are here on any sort of travel visa. I have never heard of anyone ever being granted a work visa / work permit specifically for skydiving here in the US, it might have happened but its going to be a pretty unusual situation since the DZ has to demonstrate a lot of need and an inability to find enough qualified talent to fill their open positions as is. I've seen a number of DZ's that hire "instructors" from overseas that are technically visiting the US on a tourist visa. That visa is technically ineligible for work of any type.

Depending on what is happening this could be an issue also - if I was a contractor that had worked at Lodi for the last 5-7 years I'd be making sure my taxes had been properly filed and that I had the right to actually work at the time I was getting paid.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[nickfrey 0]

Lead story on CBS Sacramento tonight is about DB Cooper, they think it's some dude from Stockton named Robert Rackstraw.

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/video/category/news/3430303-fbi-exhausts-leads-in-d-b-cooper-case/

That's one hell of a coincidence!

[flyhi 24]

Quote

I don't know how many non-GM dz's there are in total out there. It may be as simple as not wanting to spend the money on the GM as they don't see the benefit. Many still require their jumpers to be USPA members.

I know of one DZ that was a member, and dropped out so an underaged dependent could jump.

Quote

They went through lockers and took with them credit card and cash receipts for the past two years, as well as signed waivers for tandem jumps and videos of past jumps.

Sloppy, sloppy, Bill.

I always thought Breaking Bad could have laundered their money through a drop zone faster than through a car wash. Then again, no federal oversight at a car wash.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.