Shoebox filled with almost $80,000 found by Buffalo police

[Drizzt]

Shoebox filled with almost $80,000 found by Buffalo police

The Associated Press

(June 3, 2003) — BUFFALO — Police officers found a shoebox stuffed with nearly $80,000 after chasing a man into a home.

The owner of the shoebox, a prison guard, now has to explain to the IRS where the money came from.

“We’re in the process of seizing it under federal forfeiture laws because we’re unsure of the ownership,†said Capt. Arturo Salas.

The man being chased, Floyd E. Fisher Jr., 19, was found in the bathroom, police said. He was charged him with resisting arrest and unlawful possession of marijuana.

The shoebox wrapped with duct tape contained $79,960 and was discovered in the adjoining bedroom.

Narcotics detectives told the Buffalo News that Shaune M. Fulgham Sr., a state corrections officer, said he worked for the last 10 years to earn the money. Fulgham, who also owns the house, gave police permission to search the home and no other items were confiscated, police said.

“It’s an unfortunate turn of events for this individual if the money is his. We don’t want to assume it’s drug money. It has to be proven,†Lt. John Eberhart said.

 

[DaveB]

“We’re in the process of seizing it under federal forfeiture laws because we’re unsure of the ownership,†said Capt. Arturo Salas.

Nice. Guilty until proven innocent.

db

 

[Soap]

Yes. It is a crime to have money in this country. Just look at this example, the tax code, etc. The successful are constantly picking up the do-nots tabs.

 

[Marko Kloos]

“It’s an unfortunate turn of events for this individual if the money is his. We don’t want to assume it’s drug money. It has to be proven,†Lt. John Eberhart said.

What a lying sack of crap. Under federal asset forfeiture laws, they aren't charging the owner with a crime, they're charging the money. If the owner wants it back, the burden of proof lies on him that the money is legally obtained.

An unfortunate turn of events is when your car breaks down on the way to your first day on the job. What Buffalo PD is doing here, like all the other agencies who practice it, is properly called theft.

Of course they want to assume it's drug money, otherwise they wouldn't have bloody seized it in the first place. If it's assumed to be drug money, the owner has to spend thousands in lawyer fees and a good deal of time to *maybe* get it back in a year or three. It'll probably end up paying for a new cruiser or a few MP5s for the SWAT team.

 

[Ian]

“It’s an unfortunate turn of events for this individual if the money is his. We don’t want to assume it’s drug money. It has to be proven,†Lt. John Eberhart said.

...and that's why we're taking it now. We don't want to take it. Really. It hurts us to take this $80,000 of his money. We feel his pain. What's the phone number for HK-USA again?"

 

[Chaz]

The owner of the shoebox, a prison guard, now has to explain to the IRS where the money came from.

WTH? It's none of thier damn business!!

This country needs an enema

 

[Pilgrim]

Fulgham, who also owns the house, gave police permission to search the home and no other items were confiscated, police said.

"Stupid is as stupid does." - Forrest Gump

 

[CRAYZCANESSPORTS]

Yeah sure it was only $80,000, maybe after a few bills found the way into some of the coppers pockets.

No but seriously,
Just my opion, not saying it was legal or illegal money.
But if the money was legal, why not just put it in the bank, and earn interest, and avoid this mess. Of course hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Augustwest]

“We’re in the process of seizing it under federal forfeiture laws because we’re unsure of the ownership,†said Capt. Arturo Salas.

Narcotics detectives told the Buffalo News that Shaune M. Fulgham Sr., a state corrections officer, said he worked for the last 10 years to earn the money. Fulgham, who also owns the house...

:banghead:

 

[Chris Rhines]

Couple of lessons to be learned from this one:

1.) If you have a lot of cash, keep as much of it as possible offsite. If practical, convert it into a denser medium of exchange, like gold or diamonds.

2.) Never consent to a police search of your home, property, or person, for any reason whatsoever, ever, at all.

- Chris

 

[spartacus2002]

I hope this thread is read by the folks on this board who rant and rave against those of us who don't always assume the best of our boys in blue.

These cops have lost sight of their mission. What if they came into my house and found 1000 rounds of 7.62 surplus that I keep for shooting at the range? Cheaper to by 1K rds at a time than bag after bag. But hey, I might go postal; better to confiscate. After all, NO HONEST MAN NEEDS 1000 ROUNDS OF MILITARY AMMUNITION!!!!

What a perversion of liberty and thought.

 

[spartacus2002]

So who was the man the cops chased into the house? The owner of the shoebox, or another man?

And if the search was for the man, why did they think he would be in a duct-taped shoebox?

 

[TarpleyG]

No, no, no! I told you to put $8,000 in the police report, dummy! Not $80,000.

GT

 

[Derek Zeanah]

But if the money was legal, why not just put it in the bank, and earn interest, and avoid this mess.

Some people prefer to keep their miney "under the mattress." Not saying it's a terribly brilliant idea, but doing so shouldn't put you under suspicion and leave a decade's worth of savings up for grabs to the first gov't official to find it.

 

[dog3]

"Why not put it in a bank, , , "

Why put it in a bank?

It's no ones business. Period.


I can think of all kinds of reasons not to put
money in a bank, , where it can be seized through a simple electronic writ,
where it must be reported on, where it
can be lost through a mishap or accounting
error, where you CAN"T GET IT BACK.

Where the nice folks at the teller tell you
their "policy" is they cannot hand you
five grand OF YOUR OWN money.

Where if you want to take some fairly
large chunk of YOUR OWN MONEY
out, it "must" be reported to the IRS, though
the taxes have already been paid.

Anyone remember the banks in Maryland
closing?

Anyone remember the banks in Texas
closing?

Anyone remember the banks all over
the country stuttering really badly
about 15 or so years ago?

Remember our good buddy Keating defrauding
us, the taxpayers of a few hundred billion? Don't forget, he got to keep many millions of it.)

Remember the resulting S&L "Crisis"?

Anyone remember when pretty much
all the banks became multinational,
and that fellow over in Jarkara single
handedly almost ruined about a third
of them?

Individual depositors are the *last*
folks who get considered when banks
screw up.

FDIC only covers some of it, and is only
because they don't get claimed against
very often.

Cash is the best hedge against
inflation there is. Period.