Article: "Charges Against Stanford a Long Time Coming, Offshore Banking Experts Say."

Sorry for the long title. :) The link: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6907429&page=1

" "There's no surprise at all," said Washington lawyer and IRS consultant Jack Blum. "This man has been on law enforcement's radar screen for the better part of 10 years."

"But the SEC didn't move forward until this week, after two former Stanford Financial whistleblowers filed an alleged lawsuit, which revealed how the bank lied about too-good-to-be-true certificates of deposit. "

You don't say. The article goes on to say that Mr Stanford is now missing and that US Marshals are looking for him. I have nothing against the US Marshals, in fact, I think they do splendid work. I also think that, true to their motto, they'll get their man.

But there are two possibilities here. First, as the article states, Mr Stanford is accused of bilking investors out of as much as $8 BILLION. Therefore, it's possible that somebody took revenge on him, may have done him harm. (NOTE TO SECRET SERVICE - I DO NOT CONDONE THIS.)

The other possibility is that Mr Stanford ran. $8 BILLION is quite a bit of money, and therefore it is possible that he ran rather than face the music.

"The federal investigation, however, did not stop Stanford from using corporate money to become a big man at last year's Democratic convention in Denver.

A video posted on the firm's web-site shows Stanford, now sought by U.S. Marshals, being hugged by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and praised by former President Bill Clinton for helping to finance a convention-related forum and party put on by the National Democratic Institute. "

Oh. That's why it took the SEC the better part of 10 years.

" Over the last decade, Stanford has spent more than $7 million on lobbyists and campaign contributions to Washington politics in both parties, although the vast majority of the money has gone to Democrats. " (emphasis added)

You don't say. Has anybody in the US mainstream media reported on this next? Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4853210a13.html

The title? "Madoff, Stanford link in NZ."

" The New Zealand representative of the allegedly fraudulent Stanford Financial Group is an international tax professional with business links to another Kiwi lawyer associated with another accused fraudster, Bernard Madoff."

You remember Bernard Madoff, right? He's accused of the $50 BILLION Ponzi scheme.

"Wellington lawyer Gordon Ralph Stewart is the sole listed director of Stanford Trust Company (NZ), advertised as the Kiwi representative of the Caribbean-based group of companies run by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford."

"Mr Stewart is a local tax lawyer and operates out of his home office in the Wellington suburb of Thorndon. He did not return calls from The Dominion Post.

His $1.4 million Tinakori Rd home is listed as the address for Stanford Trust Company (NZ) as well as almost 100 other firms of which he is a director."

You don't say.