There is no reason to believe that this defendant has mended, or will mend, his ways," the prosecution claims. "There is, however, every reason to believe that, once released, the defendant will find a new means of taking advantage of the public."
Who exactly was taken advantage of? With the exception of the extortion charge pertaining to NSOL, I haven't been able to find the victims. It seems the charges include taking advantage of site members yet I don't hear site members complaining. And the government calls site members co-conspirators so are they calling them Elgindy victims as well? How can they be the victim of a crime they supposedly co-committed?
You certainly can't call the shareholders in the fraud stocks the victims of elgindy's crime, they were the victims of the stock fraudster's crime. They were screwed whether Elgindy shorted the stocks or not. They were screwed whether the FBI info was released or not. Sure some of them might have been able to sell to yet another victim if the fraud wasn't exposed. Was only a matter of how many more investors got caught before they came tumblin down. So who are the victims that have been so victimized that Elgindy deserves life?
Here's a thought. The FBI aided and abetted the stock fraudsters thereby taking advantage of the public by not making their "confidential information" public themselves. THat's how the real victims could have been saved. Why does the FBI keep stock fraud confidential? I bet if they made public notices of fraud investigations, they could keep a lot more people from being victims then by keeping Elgindy in jail for life.
I am no fan of Elgindy, but the government's arguments don't reflect reality anymore than Bob O'Brien's. And I still ask, who are the victims of Elgindy's crimes? And that cliche about the public being a victim because elgindy corrupted a government officer is crap. Royer was corrupt and desperate, just like thousands of other people in and out of government. Amazing how the government wants Elgindy to take responsibility for his crimes then wants to shoulder the responsibility for royer's crimes on him instead of royer.
BTW, there is some truth to site members being afraid or unwilling to testify. After watching the first few people that talked to the GJ get subsequently indicted, I understand the 5th ammendment became quite popular.
Elgindy may be a piece of shit but a jail cell would be put to better use holding someone else for life. 5 years sounds about fair. |
