why isn't Peter Popoff in jail?

[NWO Sentryman]

we all know peter popoff was a fraud who claimed that he received word from god about his subject's personal details when the source was his wife.

James randi did a good job exposing him on the tonight show and i congratulate him for that.

But, could he not have gone to the FBI? They would have had probable cause to investigate further into Popoff and would have ensured he wouldn't be enjoying the resurgence he is having.

So, why did the FBI not investigate popoff after the tonight show?

 

[Denver]

This sounds very tricky. Did he break a law, especially when all the money he is getting is classified as 'gifts'? Did he make any contracts with someone, and break them? Who has standing to sue him?

Lying, cheating, and being unethical is not necessarily a crime.

 

[NWO Sentryman]

This sounds very tricky. Did he break a law, especially when all the money he is getting is classified as 'gifts'? Did he make any contracts with someone, and break them? Who has standing to sue him?

Lying, cheating, and being unethical is not necessarily a crime.

but i thought he was a felon, with fraud being one of many counts.

Doesn't he have to declare donations or anything like that?

i admit i have not got a degree in us law, but i have some understanding of what a felony is.

What's the minimum sentence on felony fraud?

 

[TimCallahan]

Well, maybe they'll eventually be able to nail Popoff; but at least Kent Hovind, "Dr. Dino," is in prison for income tax evasion. I've heard that, while he's serving his time, Hovind has decided to go by the name of "Benjamin Dover."

 

[Beerina]

Well, they eventually nailed Al Capone for tax evasion. They couldn't throw him in jail for the ill-gotten parts, so they nailed him for not paying taxes on it. Did you know you're supposed to buy marijuana tax stamps for your marijuana? This gives the government another thing to club you over the head with, even though they're not allowed to use the fact that you bought some as evidence to even begin investigating you for having some. It's really intended just to give an extra slap to people already caught.

 

[TimCallahan]

Well, in Hovind's case, he was doing such things as declaring anything he did as a religious function, thereby not taxable, even though these activities were clearly for profit. He was quite deliberately defrauding the government, meaning that you and I had to pick up more of the tab to maintain the nation's infrastructure.

When it comes to drug laws, both logic and the Constitution seem to be among the first casualties.

However, we should probably bring the thread back to the issue of Popov's religion-based fraud. I wonder if prosecutors are leery of going after him because it might give the appearance of attacking religion. Also, is faith healing even covered by any law?