Name Game

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Filed under: Fraud and Deception

Inmates Accused in Name Copyright Scheme
July 17, 2007

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Oklahoma City (AP) – What’s in a name? How about a scheme to get out of prison? Four federal inmates were indicted Tuesday on allegations that they copyrighted their names, then demanded millions of dollars from prison officials for using the names without authorization.

The indictment alleges inmates Russell Dean Landers, Clayton Heath Albers, Carl Ervin Batts and Barry Dean Bischof sent demand notices to the warden of the El Reno federal prison, filed liens against his property and then hired an individual to seize his vehicles, freeze his bank accounts, and change the locks on his house.

Then, believing the warden’s property had been seized, the inmates demanded to be released from prison before they would negotiate with the warden to give his property back, according to the indictment.

U.S. Attorney John C. Richter said the individual hired by the inmates turned out to be an undercover FBI agent. Read the whole story here.

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