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Civil society
Mortgage fraud is terrible, but as crimes go it is a sign of how peaceful so much of the world has become:
A man once convicted of heading up a ruthless Haitian death squad that is blamed for raping and killing political rivals has been convicted of carrying out a mortgage fraud scheme in the United States.
Emmanuel "Toto" Constant, 51, former leader of the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti, or FRAPH, was convicted Friday of arranging millions of dollars in fraudulent financing for three Brooklyn properties, according to a statement from the New York attorney general's office.
Ask any Haitian about FRAPH. Here is the full story. At least the CIA is no longer subsidizing him. Here is a list of his crimes against human rights. It is his second conviction for mortgage fraud.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on July 28, 2008 at 11:40 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
A man once convicted of heading up a ruthless Haitian death squad that is blamed for raping and killing political rivals...
Elect him to the US Congress. The average morality of the place would remain unchanged, but C-SPAN coverage would certainly be a lot more stimulating.
Posted by: at Jul 29, 2008 8:48:30 AM
I love how white collar crime is portrayed as victimless. For those affected, it can absolutely devastate lives.
Sure, not on par with killing, but lose your life savings to a white collar scam and it probably feels something like being raped, emotionally-speaking.
Posted by: meter at Jul 29, 2008 8:52:22 AM
I don't think the world really has become that more peaceful since 1993-1994 (when FRAPH was doing the killing in Haiti). It's just that the perspective has been re-focused in the above story.
Posted by: notsneaky at Jul 29, 2008 2:49:01 PM
I realize you guys support open borders, but I find the fact that this guy came here illegally after running death squads, and was never deported, to be pretty absurd regardless of his CIA connections.
Even worse is that now that he's been convicted of mortgage fraud here in the US, American taxpayers will be footing the bill for his detainment for another 15-45 years. WTF? Deport him!
Posted by: Christina at Jul 29, 2008 4:11:22 PM
A former mortgage fraud convict was serving as a branch manager for a financial firm? LOL. Is this the vibrant diversity I've been hearing so much about? The cruelest punishment would be to send this man with an outstanding 1995 deportation order back to the tropical paradise he comes from and loves so much.
Posted by: bjk at Jul 29, 2008 4:42:15 PM
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Deborah
Posted by: Deborah at Dec 5, 2008 9:48:47 AM
