Homeland Security + $1 Million Ferraris + California Dreamin' = WTF?

[file83]

This has got to be the strangest story I've ever read:
Ferrari Case Takes New Twist With Possible Tie to Bus Agency (L.A. Times)

Excerpts:

As sheriff's detectives investigate last week's crash that destroyed a $1-million Ferrari, they are now looking into an obscure nonprofit organization that provides disabled people with transit in the San Gabriel Valley.

The car's owner, a former video game executive from Sweden, told Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies at the scene of the Feb. 21 accident in Malibu that he was deputy commissioner of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority's police anti-terrorism unit, detectives said Thursday.

A few minutes after the crash, two unidentified men arrived at the scene, flashing badges and saying they were from "homeland security", according to Sheriff's Department officials.

Deputies allowed the men into the accident scene, where they spoke to Stefan Eriksson before leaving, Sgt. Phil Brooks said.

Sheriff's officials on Thursday said they now want to question them.


<snip>

Just as murky is Eriksson's connection to the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority.

The organization is a privately run nonprofit that has agreements with Monrovia and Sierra Madre to provide bus rides for disabled residents.

On its website, the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority lists its address as 148 E. Lemon Ave. in Monrovia. The location is Homer's Auto Service, an auto repair shop.

<snip>

In a brief interview, transit authority board member Yosuf Maiwandi said Eriksson had helped the police department's anti-terrorism unit with camera technology for the paratransit vehicles. (WTF?!? - me)

<snip>

It remains unclear how Eriksson, who lives in a gated Bel-Air estate, came to work with the transit agency.

<snip>

Another mystery is the Glock ammunition magazine found near the crash. Brooks said detectives believe it's connected to the crash but don't know how.

Okay, is it just me, or does this sound like the Sheriff's department has stumbled upon something incredibly huge?

First of all, in the article, the Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa admits that this mysterious "San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority" exists. He also admits that this "handicapp" shuttle service has a "police force".

But why on Earth would a "privately owned non-profit" handicap shuttle service require an "anti-terrorism unit" AND have a gentleman involved with it driving $1 million Ferraris AND own a mansion in Bel-Air?!?

MY OPINION: This is obviously a government sanctioned business front involved in either drug trade or money laundering or both (otherwise, where is all the money coming from?) as part of some corrupted Department of Homeland Security operation.

What's your take on it? This has to be huge, doesn't it?
WTF is going on!? :wtf:

on edit: Previous L.A. Times story with additional info.

[musette_sf]

1. whoot, there it is!

I've been checking this story out in bits and pieces, and had a feeling there was something really, really hinky about it. I'd say you're definitely on the right track.

[file83]

3. Anyway you slice it, this thing smells BAD.

Seriously, what part of this story sounds "normal"?

[TomInTib]

2. This gets weirder and weirder....

I read where a bank in Scotland claimed ownwership of the car and claimed it had been stolen and transported into the US illegally (Port Security?).

[file83]

4. PLEASE post a link to that source!

Don't tease us like that!

[sandnsea]

8. Here

He brought 3 cars to the US, the Mercedes was listed as stolen. That's probably the Mercedes they said they were racing, at one point. Another article said the Ferrari was about to be repossessed by a bank in Scotland.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ferrari28feb28,0,3986184.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[file83]

10. Good - I'll add that to my main post for reference.

[TomInTib]

11. I don't have it...

I never save anything because even tho I do know how to save stuff, I don't know how to retrieve same.

I have a great digital camera that I keep buying memory things for because I don't know what to do with the pictures I take.

I do know the the bank claimed ownership of that car and a SLR that is apparently in that guy's possession.

[glitch]

45. Lol! Well, the joy is in the taking of the pictures anyway. nt

[TahitiNut]

5. "Stefan Eriksson and his Enzo Ferrari" ??

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63040

[file83]

12. That's the same guy! WHAT ON EARTH is he doing

working for the "anti-terrorism unit" of a non-profit privately owned transit business? What in the HELL is he doing providing "cameras" for them? Does it look like he needs to do small time business sales like that?

Why would the Homeland Security Department officers want to question him at the scene of the accident?

[TahitiNut]

32. Here's the red Enzo Ferrari that was crashed. Two $1 million cars. Nice.

It staggers this nut's imagination that anyone would spend $1 million for a freaking car when people are homeless and starving. I just can't comprehend that much 'me firstism'.

[file83]

34. Here is the most comprehensive coverage of this case I've found so far:

Ferrari Enzo Crash

This site has lots of good info. Apparently they specialize in these kinds of stories. Who woulda thunk it?

[localroger]

42. That is darkly hilarious

Get a bunch of political junkies together and you got a potent force, but if you really want a story covered into the ground get the car nuts on it.

[Pachamama]

44. Probably a couple of fellow DUers! :)

:hi:

I think that website is fascinating...I was awed by the info and behind the scene detective work going on....

[sandnsea]

6. It's a .gov site

Transit Authorities do not have .gov web sites. They usually have the city/state type url's. So another peculiarity.

http://sgvta.gov

[aquart]

7. Oh, look. It's exempt from regulatory oversight.

<http://sgvta.gov/press.htm#1208>

I know that's what I want for a handicapped van.

[file83]

13. Notice too, how none of their "financial" data is up?

It's all labeled as "coming soon". Yeah sure, like it ever will!

I also noticed that "sgvta.gov" has gone through a couple reincarnations:

First it was www.monroviatransit.com, then it was sgvta.us.

[file83]

9. Good catch - You are right!

I googled "transit authority" and the only .gov suffix is http://www.fta.dot.gov/

That's a FEDERAL transit website. All others are .com .org, but never .gov.

What's so special about this sgvta.gov??

[reclinerhead]

65. Googled the Web site designer/maintainer

I googled "FTC Internet Services" and found some results. Parent company is http://ftcnetworks.com/ ... Their website lists other sites in their network like "BBB online" (boys boys boys online). Another is "B3 Radio" -- probably something gross like a audio stream for the BBB online site.

[flvegan]

14. The guy has money from Gizmondo.

Google it and see what you find. That's probably where the Ferrari and Bel Aire estate come from.

I'm not saying that this doesn't stink to high Heaven, as it does. This guy was also rumored to have connections with the mob in Europe. Just seems the "Ferrari" aspect is the wrong tree to bark up.

[file83]

16. Check out this Muslim connection:

According to thier website and the article, a member of their board of directors is named Yosuf Maiwandi. That name has Islamic roots. And he is the guy that spoke with reporters:

"In a brief interview, Yosuf Maiwandi, a transit authority board member, said Eriksson had worked with their police department's "anti-terrorism unit," helping it with camera technology for the paratransit vehicles.

That's a big Red Flag.

[sandnsea]

17. If I had to guess at this point

I'd dismiss the terrorism angle and go for the obvious, a chop shop. Laundering the money through non-profits is pretty common, I just saw a news program on some Armenians who were doing that. Putting the anti-terrorism crud on it was just taking off from the terra terra terra. Who knows, maybe they even applied for federal funds.

[file83]

20. Yes, AND, this Eriksson guy was also questioned by two agents

from The Department of Homeland Security - I doubt anyone involved with laundering money/criminal behavior is going to risk the chance of being caught by the Malibu Sheriff's department by arriving at the scene of the accident to question Eriksson PRETENDING to be DHS officers just for kicks! So those guys were for real - we can only assume that. But now the big question.

Money laundering is going on - but how and why is the DHS is involved?

[brook]

24. I thought

what I read indicated that the 2 'agents' who showed up at the accident scene said they were from SGVTA and that CHP's looking to find and talk to them.

[file83]

27. Well, yes and no...

They told the police at the scene that they were with "homeland security" - however, the detectives suspect that those guys may actually be from the SGVTA, but they aren't sure.

So, you are right - they may not have actually been from "homeland security" (aka DHS) - but wouldn't that mean they were impersonating federal officers? That is a major crime and I'm sure that the real DHS would be concerned about that!

So, maybe the DHS isn't involved, but maybe the SGVTA are getting funding from the DHS through some sort "anti-terrorism" program as claimed by the SGVTA? I bet that's it - the Erikkson guy is in on the scam - as is EVERYONE involved in the SGVTA.

Also notice how the "Chief of Police" John Leung retired the DAY AFTER this accident? Sounds to me like he was trying to distance himself from the scam as quickly as possible.

[brook]

31. Yes. And look at this...

the civil attorney, Ashley Posner.

Another gov.funded scam.

Unfrickin real.

[file83]

33. What about this - K. Dean Richards - who is on the board of SGVTA:

Allied Artists Vs. Richards
He apparently defrauded this company.

Sounds like these are all a real shady crew of the "Usual Suspects" - don't it?

I can't believe how corrupt our country is. Unreal, like you said!

[file83]

35. After reading that, it looks like Ashely Posner was a contributing

writer for the story. Looks like she may have been actually trying to expose it. So maybe she's not so bad afterall.

But still, that story in and of itself is horrifying! The Government is paying parents to poisen their children! Hello, Nazi Germany anyone?

[file83]

22. New question: What would all these ex-law enforcement officials

be doing working as "Chiefs of Police" for a transportation authority non-profit that are directly connected to a money laundering/chop shop business?

Check this out: http://sgvta.gov/press.htm#1208

[TahitiNut]

15. HOMER'S AUTO SERVICE

HOMER'S AUTO SERVICE
Yosuf "Yo" Maiwandi
148 E. Lemon
Monrovia, CA 91016
[phone]

http://www.asc5.com/Shops.htm

[file83]

18. Notice too, that the DAY AFTER the crash...

...the Chief of the SGVTA Police Department (and member of the SGVTA board of directors), John Leung, announced his retirement, effective March 1st.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2006

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRANSIT AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHIEF OF POLICE FOR ITS TRANSIT POLICE DEPARTMENT

Arcadia, California – Having guided the San Gabriel Valley Transit Police Department through its formative years, Chief John Leung has announced his retirement effective March 1, 2006. Chief Leung retires after a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, having helmed the SGVTPD from its inception.

<snip>

Coincidence? I think not.

[Emit]

19. Hhhmmm...this part

Chief Leung retires ... having helmed the SGVTPD from its inception.

[file83]

21. He's disappearing!! That is the man we need to investigate!

Good catch. He's probably the "handler" of the entire operation. I wonder if he's CIA or DHS.

[sandnsea]

30. He's a business man

Wanted to own a bunch of transit authorities as the metropolitan moved to new planning around public transportation. And yes, looks like boatloads of cash involved.

http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/136242.html

[slaveplanet]

36. land use planning

I bet this has to do with eminent domain...land use planning is one of the policy directives. This may be a front for future land grabs

Policy Directions

Integrate Transportation and Land Use:
To maximize mobility, land-use planning must anticipate and encourage alternatives to the automobile.

Use all Transportation Options:
SGVTA's long-range vision describes a district-wide paratransit system without gaps in facilities or services. This implies coordination and integration of all the ways handicapped and disabled passengers move around.

Create a Safe, Convenient, Reliable and High-Quality Paratransit Operation:
SGVTA seeks to create a paratransit system that provides the handicapped and disabled members of the public with a viable alternative to the automobile.

Build a Regional Perspective:
The local, countywide and region wide roles of SGVTA must be balanced among the interests of individual jurisdictions, the county, and the region as a whole.

[brook]

26. It's pretty common

to see people with Islamic sounding names owning stations/body shops in So. Cal. I had Arab neighbors in the valley and every brother in the family owned auto-related businesses.

Edited to add that I also think something's not on the up and up with Homer and his friends.

[file83]

28. Yes, Homer and "his friends" like John Leung - the guy that retired

the day after the accident.

[petronius]

23. My guess:

I'm betting that the Monrovia Transit Agency is a real agency, and does what it claims, which is to provide rides for low-income seniors. However, the people in charge of the agency have seen an opportunity to skim and launder money through the agency, and have set up a shell of a police department in order to collect federal grants and funding intended for homeland security/anti-terror activities.

Since 9/11 it seems to me that the government has been shoveling money to any police type agency that asks for it, and I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of this money is being used inappropriately and inefficiently, or just outright stolen...

[file83]

25. Exactly. That would explain why Eriksson was trying to "get in"

on the scam - he's rich and wants to get richer. The two local DHS agents are in on it too and probably told Eriksson to tell the cops that some guy named "Dietrich" was driving the car to get him off any possible legal tangles.

Notice how the Sheriff's conveniently didn't "identify" the two DHS officers in question? Something very fishy is going on. Notice also how the website seems so professinally layed out and written, yet the actual office is a total business front for "Homer's Repair Shop". To me that indicates a scam straight up.

[slaveplanet]

29. the link for the minutes

is there but the file is missing http://sgvta.gov/Content-MTAPrivacyPolicy/Minutesofthe12-02-04Meeting.pdf

The current board of directors includes:

* Yosuf Maiwandi
* John Leung
* K. Dean Richards
* Ashley D. Posner
* Designee, City of Monrovia

[Hubert Flottz]

37. I lived in Monrovia for a spell and I loved it.

The church lady at the youth center was selling RDs and passing bad checks in the 70s, so it doesn't surprise me.

[SoCalDem]

38. Did they ever find Dieter, with the bloody nose??

When I originally posted this a few minutes after it happened, the owner of the Ferrari said that his friend Dieter (claimed not to know his last name) was driving, and that he ran off after the wreck:shrug:

[file83]

40. Nope. "Deitrich" is still missing.... I found very comprehensive

coverage of this story at a website that specializes (of all things) in exotic car crashes!

Check it out: http://www.wreckedexotics.com/special/enzo/

This blog is also kind of following the story: http://spartacus.blogs.com/spartacus/

The thing that is total bullshit about this story - is that the Police just "believed" Erikksen's claim that he wasn't the driver even though he was the only guy there and it was HIS car!

If that was a regular person - like me or you - we would have been arrested on the spot for DUI!

Apparently when you are rich, your word is gospel.

[Blue_Tires]

39. hmmm...how strange!

k+r

[RandiFan1290]

41. Don't forget the mafia link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmondo

Shortly after Gizmondo was released in America, a newspaper printed a story linking Gizmondo Europe Executive Officer, Stefan Eriksson from Sweden, with the Uppsala Mafia. In light of these findings Eriksson resigned and at least two other resignations were reported in connection with this case.

[file83]

49. It makes one wonder how secure our "Ports" are if a guy like this

can sneak a $1,000,000 Ferrari Enzo into our country. A Ferrari Enzo which is under repossession by the Bank of Scotland and registered in Manchester England (with British plates). In-other-words, it got into this country illegally - there is no way customs would have allowed a stolen $1 Million Ferrari into this country. Or is there? Either way, our "port security" is a total joke.

Read more about it here:
Ferrari Enzo Case

[preciousdove]

43. FYI Two I ride one owned by Iranians, one by "Russians" in MN

All previous handicabs went out of business because they were not profitable. Now we have a whole slew of them around and these two I know because I ride them. The Iranian owned company stranded me 45 miles from home at an emergency dentist one night last spring at midnight so I won't ride with them anymore.

The Russian one has drivers and dispatchers formerly from USSR states and several of them are always tuned to far right religious sites. I have debated them a few times on lies the radio was trying to push.

The Russians do not converse on the radio/phone in English.

[file83]

50. Sounds mighty suspicious to me. You should do some research

on these companies - see what you can discover/uncover. Doesn't this suck? We can't even trust our FBI to protect us anymore.

[troubleinwinter]

46. Claims to be a nonprofit...

I checked Guide Star listing of nonprofits, and it isn't listed. So I checked the Internal Revenue Service listing of qualified nonprofits, and neither Monrovia Transit Authoriy nor San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority is listed. ?????!!!! They claim on their website to have been approved to operate as a 501(C)3 in late 2004.

[file83]

48. That is interesting. Are we starting to smell a business front?

I am.

[troubleinwinter]

52. Here is some more odd stuff.....

Date of Hearing: April 4, 2005

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Jenny Oropeza, Chair
AB 435 (Liu) - As Introduced: February 15, 2005

<snip>

A different example of a private non-profit paratransit is the
Monrovia Transit Authority (MTA), the sponsor of this bill.

<snip>

MTA states that car dealerships offer to donate paratransit
vehicles to them free of charge. However, MTA cannot accept
them because they cannot afford to pay the registration fees.
By exempting MTA and other charitable organizations like it from
registration fees will permit them to operate vehicles that
would not otherwise be operated without the proposed exemption
under the provisions of this bill.

Sufficient price break?

DMV reports that the cost of registration for a vehicle is
approximately $40 to $50. That amount includes $31 for the DMV
fee, $9 for the two California Highway Patrol fees, and less
than $9 for various county-related fees. ....

<snip>

While MTA, and similar paratransit services, is solely reliant
on charitable donations for revenue, it appears that the savings
realized by this bill are not significant enough to warrant its
passage.

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:nXqrHU0R6KMJ:info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0401-0450/ab_435_cfa_20050401_151922_asm_comm.html+monrovia+transit+authority+501(c)(3)&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3

They operate solely on charitable contributions (how many charitable organizations have generous folks like Abramoff and Delay operated???), they cannot afford $40 for a donated paratransit vehicle.

[file83]

54. WHAT A JOKE! They claim they can't afford the registration fees, YET

the SGVTA board member Yosuf Maiwandi said that Stefan Eriksson

"had helped the police department's anti-terrorism unit with camera technology for the paratransit vehicles."

So they can afford "anti terrorism" cameras for the paratransit vehicles from guys driving $1 Million Ferraris, but they can't afford $40 registration fees? What kind of scam was going on here?

We can only assume that the SGVTA was getting "anti-terrorism" funding from somewhere - otherwise how could they afford the cameras (which are obviously totally unnecessary!)? Would they be getting the funding from DHS?

Furthermore, is it even true that Stefan Eriksson had the capacity (existing business) to supply said cameras?

[troubleinwinter]

56. More weirdness....

There is an interesting complaint made about SGVTA in the minutes of The Los Angeles County Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (at www.asila.org). To quote:

"The situation involved a rider with a service animal, that is the complainant, and two other passengers. The service animal user was pick up last on the shared ride route. Since the vehicle was a sedan, there was no room on the vehicle floor for the service animal to sit. For that reason, the complainant had the dog sit on his or her lap. The service animal weighs about eighty pounds according to the complainant. The complainant's grievance was that because the capacity on the sedan was limited, he or she had to have the service animal sit on his or her lap."

In other words this organisation didn't actually seem to have any buses at the time but instead used ordinary cars. So quite why they should need an undercover police force isn't really clear, seeing that the only free place left to sit would be on the driver's lap.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2006_03/008335.php#837465

[file83]

62. Here is the "rest" of the story:

From the Whittier Daily News:

The transit agency took shape two years ago, when Yosuf "Yo" Maiwandi traded a few toy motorcycles to a friend in exchange for a 25-seat passenger bus.

"It was a joke," said Maiwandi, who owns and operates Homer's Auto Service on Lemon Street in Monrovia. The business shares an address with the transit authority.

"Then I got four more buses. As time went on, it got more serious," Maiwandi said. "And I found out you can have a security or police force. I thought, it's legal and it sounds like a cool idea."

Maiwandi recruited several friends to join the governing board. The list included Ashley Posner, a civil attorney from Sherman Oaks who also happened to represent Stefan Eriksson.

According to Maiwandi and Posner, Eriksson said he had worked on camera technology that could be used by police to monitor buses. The transit authority decided to launch a pilot program.

"We had hoped to get some government grants to pay for it," said Maiwandi. "Now this guy crashes his car and everyone wants out."

"It was a pilot program to develop a fairly high-tech video communications device for transit buses," Posner said. "As a result of this press, everything has been inactivated and we are re-evaluating everything."

As of Friday, the police portion of the transit authority Web site could no longer be viewed.

It also explains that one of the board members of SGVTA, Ashley Posner, was Stefan Eriksson's attorney. It sounds to me like they were all trying to start their own police force that would get funded by the DHS or something.

Sounds to me like Ashley Posner should be disbarred.

[troubleinwinter]

64. Check post #63

Press release dated 3/3/2006, but placed on their website today.

"SGVTA is both a transit provider, and a multi-modal transportation planning organization involved with transit, highways and roadways and pedestrian facilities."

And check the Thales Corp.

WHAT THE FUCK IS UP with these people???

[troubleinwinter]

67. Hahahahahaaaa!!!!!

From your link:

"Our officers are on the front lines, playing a vital role in the defense of Southern California's homeland security," writes newly appointed police Chief Philip J. Sugar. "We police one of our nation's highest-level terror targets - Southern California's transportation system."

A further investigation shows the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority has no police officers. It has one daytime dispatcher who is also a receptionist at Homer's Auto Services. At night, calls to the dispatcher are routed to an answering service in Georgia.

I say again, WTF?!

[slaveplanet]

68. Goon squads

private paramilitaries, parallel police forces , that would explain why Leung must have been on board.

Under the new patriot act and it's disregard for the constitution, just imagine 1000's of these parallel police units running around , spying and working on special projects for the real police...all the while sucking on the DHS teat.
Sounds like this op hadn't quite gotten off the ground yet or these scamsters never intended it to...But that is the HS funding's attempt.

Truly frightening and UNAMERICAN as a swede mafioso driving an Enzo Ferrari with Brittish plates.


I bet those two guys with the badges were Leung and Posner.

[file83]

74. Maybe these guys are just talking up their facility so they can

convince some sales rep from Thales Group to give them those free GPS units? The sales rep probably believes that these guys will get the "federal grants" (as Yosuf admitted to trying to get) to buy more equipment in the future. This is strange - we should keep an eye on these guys.

[troubleinwinter]

78. Could be that Thales gives equipment

to nonprofits as a tax write-off, to show it's a "good corporate community citizen".

If SGVTA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), they are REQUIRED by LAW to provide a financial (tax filing) statement to the public upon request.

I wonder what their finances look like.... they just hired a new "police chief" who had until then been an attorney for L.A.? But he appears to be a "volunteer"?

They have squad cars, but they don't? They have a police department address ("The Department's headquarters are located at 4115 East Live Oak Avenue, Arcadia")but no police? They have officers on the front lines fighting drug trafficing and terrorism, but they don't have any officers? The whole thing started "as a joke" by trading some toys and now they are a "planning organization involved with transit, highways and roadways and pedestrian facilities"? The website is a .gov instead of a nonprofit .org?

"We are in an exciting era of technological progress and plan to use the latest technologies in communications and electronic systems to manage the roadways and transit systems to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

We understand the importance of a coordinated public safety effort and are diligently working with the many cities located throughout the San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County, and the State of California to integrate and share public safety resources through SGVTA's high-tech transportation and emergency management system." http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:Uvr_pE8nAzYJ:police.sgvta.gov/+san+gabriel+valley+transportation+authority+police&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

... SGVTA police are "managing the roadways and transit systems"??!!

"6. This Website is an Official San Gabriel Valley Transit Police Department Government System" http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:NQKccbp_sZcJ:police.sgvta.gov/terms.htm+san+gabriel+valley+transportation+authority+police&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

How can they be a government system??????

They not only have a Drug Interdiction Unit ("The Drug Interdiction Unit focuses on contraband being transported into this area and large amounts of narcotic related currency being transported out."), a K-9 Unit, but a Gang Suppression Unit, too. http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:aFsxiuNRsFgJ:police.sgvta.gov/career.htm++site:police.sgvta.gov+san+gabriel+valley+transportation+authority+police&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4 And even an Internal Affairs Division http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:FzXDQVj8YEQJ:police.sgvta.gov/complaint.htm++site:police.sgvta.gov+san+gabriel+valley+transportation+authority+police&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=8

"police chief" Philip Sugar, who took over on March 1st says:

As Chief of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Police, I am committed to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in law enforcement by giving my officers the tools they need to do their jobs. SGVTPD is a full service police agency, with all the modern tools available to facilitate effective law enforcement, which enables us to help make San Gabriel Valley’s transportation system amongst the safest in the country. We are on the cutting edge of law enforcement.

We are a growing agency; able to recruit the best and brightest law enforcement has to offer. If you’re interested in “joining our ranks” I urge you to visit the Career Information section of this website.

Sincerely,

Philip J. Sugar
Chief of Police http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:-mMLArD8hpIJ:police.sgvta.gov/chief.htm++site:police.sgvta.gov+san+gabriel+valley+transportation+authority+police&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=7

All that in just two years, having started out "as a joke", after trading some toys.

So which is it... "a Government System" or a nonprofit 501(c)(3)????????

[file83]

79. troubleinwinter - that is some insightful work there - I wonder if

the local "News Team" would do an investigation on this. This is the kind of story an up and coming reporter would LOVE to cover. Just what we've covered here on this DU thread is enough to raise eyebrows.

I wonder what TV stations around there would be interested in this aspect of the story. I'll see what I can find.

The other possibility is that maybe this Yosuf guy is trying to get "police authority" to purchase fully automatic submachine guns (and other "law enforcement" grades of weaponry). For whichever purpose - blackmarket gun sales, planning a crime, who knows. But since he has the "police" authority and Stefan Erikkson comes in with a TON of funding with a "police authority" he could purchase ALL KINDS of stuff regular citizens could not buy and then turning it over to the blackmarket. This would totally be in Stefan's modus operandi. Not to mention, they could start getting free donations of other various equipment(as they have already claimed).

Meanwhile here are some photos of the SGVTA headquarters from
that "wreckedexotics" site that is following the story:

[file83]

81. YOU NAILED IT!!! Check this out.....

Check the eligibility for the .gov TLD (Top Level Domain) requirements, which are VERY strict:

Registrations that do not qualify for a .gov domain

International organizations
Commercial firms
Privately owned organizations
Military entities (except in special cases)
Local (e.g., city, county, township, or parish) government programs or initiatives
Cities, townships, counties, parishes, and other local entities that are not represented by an elected body of officials

(source: http://www.dotgov.gov/help_qualify.aspx)

A nonprofit 501(c)(3) by it's very definition, can NOT be a part of any form of government and must be separate from the state or municipality. So, there is NO WAY they can legally have a .GOV top level domain registration if they claim nonprofit status.

Now that we've established that they've violated the rules concerning .gov top level domain registration, let's flip it around.

If they insist that they ARE a governmental entity (by claiming to qualify for the .gov TLD), check out how that would VIOLATE their "nonprofit 501(3)(c)" status:

Instrumentalities. A state or municipal instrumentality may qualify under section 501(c)(3) if it is organized as a separate entity from the governmental unit that created it and if it otherwise meets the organizational and operational tests of section 501(c)(3). Examples of a qualifying instrumentality might include state schools, universities, or hospitals. However, if an organization is an integral part of the local government or possesses governmental powers, it does not qualify for exemption. A state or municipality itself does not qualify for exemption.

(source: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/ch03.html)

I'd say having an "anti-terrorism" unit with "police authority" AND having a .GOV top level domain registration disqualifies them as a nonprofit 501(c)(3). Your analysis is spot on. They are acting as BOTH a governmental agency AND a private non-profit. This is not legal.

Who should we contact with this information, the DA or IRS?

[troubleinwinter]

82. YES, YES, ya got it!

Contact BOTH DA and IRS.

You should send your post regarding this (along with the quote and link where they claim to be a "government system"... this one: "6. This Website is an Official San Gabriel Valley Transit Police Department Government System" http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:NQKccbp_sZcJ:police.sgvta.gov/terms.htm+san+gabriel+valley+transportation+authority+police&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2 ) to all the reporters and sites/publications that have reported on this... get em to follow up.

[file83]

83. I may be entitled to a reward - according to the IRS

do you want in on that?

check it out:
http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=106778,00.html

[troubleinwinter]

84. Hahahha!!! Donate it to DU for their new police force!

[file83]

85. WILL DO - but what would the tax consequences be for DU? (just kidding!)

[troubleinwinter]

86. I don't think there are any tax consequences at DU...

Skinner has a DHS badge I think.

[muriel_volestrangler]

76. Or they felt it's advantageous to have 'police' badges

In another passage, the transit authority talks about the susceptibility of "paratransit services" to drug trafficking and touts the efforts of its undercover narcotics squad, including a K-9 detection team, in keeping the buses free of illegal substances.

A further investigation shows the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority has no police officers. It has one daytime dispatcher who is also a receptionist at Homer's Auto Services. At night, calls to the dispatcher are routed to an answering service in Georgia.

The only police badges that have been issued are the ones carried by the five members of the transit authority board, including Sugar. They all appear to be volunteers.

So the board are also an 'undercover narcotics squad'? That would be damn handy, if, say, a real policeman discovered any drugs on a transit authority vehicle. "It's alright officer, we already had this vehicle under observation as part of an ongoing investigation. We'll take it from here ..."

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? ("Who will watch the watchers themselves?" - asked by Juvenal 2000 years ago, and still relevant)

[troubleinwinter]

57. Hmmmmmm....

Their services are available to Monrovia residents ONLY, according to SGVTA website FAQs.

There are only 1,301 households in Monrovia without a vehicle (http://www.city-data.com/housing/houses-Monrovia-California.html ). How many of these are in need of paratransit? How many people are being served by SGVTA, that they need an anti terrorism police force??

Also.... there is already a publicly funded curb-to-curb transit service for the area with all vehicles equipped with wheelchair lifts. "PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES All Monrovia Transit vans are lift equipped. If regional transportation is desired, Access Services provides transportation throughout the San Gabriel Valley for persons with disabilities." "Transit also provides curb-to-curb transportation for County unincorporated residents and visitors anywhere within the City’s service area." "Monrovia Transit is provided for all Monrovia residents and visitors by the City of Monrovia and funded by sales tax revenues dedicated to public transportation. Monrovia Transit is funded for all County unincorporated residents and visitors by the County of Los Angeles from sales tax revenues dedicated to public transportation." http://www.ci.monrovia.ca.us/community/mon_transit.htm

So why was yet another service started by SCVTA just a bit more than a year ago?

[slaveplanet]

59. Damn, that's some good work Trouble

and File83. Why do I feel this is still just scratching the surface? These fraudsters must have made some enemies along the path, Time for a public records search to find them and see if they'll talk.

[troubleinwinter]

63. I didn't check out any of the people, EXCEPT...

I looked around a bit for this NEW "Police Chief", Philip Sugar. I find nothing with Google. His resume seems extremely impressive, according to the news release by SGVTA... "Following an exhaustive search, the Regional Transit Board in conjunction with the Board of Police Commissioners, has named Philip J. Sugar to succeed John Leung. Chief Sugar, a graduate of Hastings College of the Law, is a veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office where he currently heads the city’s Valley Division. During his 32 years as a Supervising Assistant City Attorney as well as his tenure with the LAPD, Chief Sugar was instrumental in developing much of LAPD’s present day policies and procedures."

Why would a Supervising City Attorney of the Los Angeles City Attorney's office accept a position as the cheif of a fake little 'police force' for a little paratransit company in a small town???

Oh, but that aint half of it!!!! This Press release went up on their site today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2006

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRANSIT AUTHORITY RECEIVES DONATION OF MAGELLAN® NAVIGATION DEVICES FOR ITS PARATRANSIT SERVICE


March 3, 2006 – Arcadia and Santa Clara, Calif. – Thales Navigation, global innovator of GPS solutions, including the Magellan brand navigation devices, has donated enough Magellan RoadMate™ 360 vehicle navigation solutions to permit SGVTA to equip all of its paratransit vans with this easy-to-use tool.

This generous donation permits SGVTA to maximize its resources while improving the service it provides to elderly, handicapped and needy passengers throughout the San Gabriel Valley, many of whom are incapable of providing drivers with assistance finding their desired destinations.

Through implementation of the Magellan RoadMate 360, which will now be used in all SGVTA paratransit vans, drivers and dispatchers will be able to provide improved routing and transit services for its disabled passengers.

About Magellan RoadMate 360
The Magellan RoadMate 360 represents the best value in a portable vehicle navigation system and the ideal solution for mobile professionals and cost-conscious travelers. In addition to its color-touch-screen, the Magellan RoadMate 360 delivers a full set of navigation features, including preloaded, full-coverage detailed street maps with no need for PC configuration to gain door-to-door guidance in Canada, Puerto Rico and all 50 United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Drivers also gain the same intuitive user interface, derived from the Hertz NeverLost® system, which has made the flagship Magellan RoadMate 700, 760 and 800 some of the leading portable auto navigation products in the United States.

About Thales’ navigation business
Thales’ navigation business is a global innovator of navigation and positioning solutions. The company markets its Magellan brand GPS products in vehicle navigation and outdoor markets, and its professional GPS and GNSS solutions in the survey, GIS/Mapping, and OEM markets that include consumer electronics, automotive navigation and high-precision applications.

Through its joint venture with Hertz, Thales has developed the Hertz NeverLost® vehicle
navigation system.

Thales’ navigation business is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information, visit www.thalesgroup.com/navigation.

About SGVTA
The San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority (SGVTA) is an independent special district created to permit near seamless paratransit service throughout the many small cities located in the San Gabriel Valley area. As such, SGVTA is both a transit provider, and a multi-modal transportation planning organization involved with transit, highways and roadways and pedestrian facilities.

The responsibilities of SGVTA include operating, maintaining and improving paratransit services; planning and designing and constructing new facilities. SGVTA also works in conjunction with transit operators in other cities and counties to provide intercity and inter-county paratransit service to major medical facilities in southern California, as well as exploring the potential for expanded service.

http://sgvta.gov/press.htm

WTF? Check out that www.thalesgoup.com and the countries they operate in and their "BUSINESSES".

[file83]

72. WTF!!!? Pakistan, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia etc.....

Dude, this is getting very strange. What's your take on this - why would some HUGE fucking international conglomorate DONATE equipment to this SGVTA??? Huh? It makes no business sense. You don't make money when you give shit away - and this lowly company owned by Yosuf is hardly the kind of customer that would qualify for "free samples".

I wonder if this guy Yosuf is bullshitting, because remember, his site claimed that SGVTA had police cruisers - but they don't. What do you think?

[file83]

73. Dupe.

[file83]

75. Thales is the 2nd largest military supplier to the UK - more info

Check this out:

Thales

Thales is a French-based global electronics company working in aerospace, defence and information technology. It is 33% owned by the French state<44>.

In the UK Thales has over 10,000 employees based at 60 locations. Thales UK is the UK's second largest supplier of military equipment<45> . Beyond defence, one of Thales' core activities is security with services including secure identification solutions and IT security.

Along with EDS, Thales Security Systems was one of the principal sponsors of the 'Digital Identity' conference in November 2004<46>. In 2002 Thales won a contract for the production of ID cards for the People's Republic of China - a project subsequently mentioned in a report by Amnesty International into the misuse of security technologies by oppressive regimes<47>. In 2005 it won a similar contract in Morocco. Thales has also supplied smartcard technology to the US, South Africa, Namibia, Poland and the Netherlands.

Thales UK - 2 Dashwood Lang Road, The Bourne Business Park, Addlestone, Nr Weybridge, Surrey KT15 2NX Tel: [phone]

Source: CorporateWatch.org

I wonder if Yosuf is really getting those GPS units/"solutions" or if he is just lying again.

[file83]

61. This SGVTA is obviouly NOT legit. I want to know if they were

given funds for "anti-terrorism" measures from US taxpayers. If so, then it's POSSIBLE that this Stefan Eriksson was trying to STEAL money from US taxpayers to fund some illegal (or personal) activity.

The FBI better get involved with this.

[JanMichael]

47. What a weird assed story. This has such a convoluted/covert smell...

...that it may have the possibility to bring down some of these money hungry scam artists along with some asshole DHS folks plus maybe more.

Fake non-profits with fake police officers with a dickhead in a $1 Million tin pot AND shitheads claiming to be from Der Fatherland Security.

Nice. Can't wait to see how this one goes.

[file83]

51. The thing that bothers me is how interwoven this "non-profit" is with

local officials/federal money/international mafia. I used to think our country was "a little" corrupt. This makes me wonder that maybe it is "a lot" corrupt.

[glitch]

53. With Bush in charge the corruption has metastasized.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3308.htm

"You have to look at the entire Bush Family in this context -- as if the family ran a corporation called ‘Frauds-R-Us,’

George Jr.’s specialty was insurance and security fraud.

Jeb’s specialty was oil and gas fraud.

Neil’s specialty was real estate fraud.

Prescott’s specialty was banking fraud.

And George Sr.’s specialty? All of the above." -- Lt. Cmdr. Al Martin, US Navy,(Ret)

[file83]

55. That's the way Georgy likes to "git 'er done."

[Us vs Them]

58. No matter how you look at it

This is the best fucking Mainstream Media story in a long time!

Nothing says sensationalism like:

$1 Million + Ferrari illegally smuggled into America
Intoxicated speed racing ending in disaster
Sketchy foreign dudes with ties to the mob
Homeland Security scams
and Gats!

Better than fiction.

[file83]

60. This sounds like Pulp Fiction - but it's TRUE!

[WHAT]

71. Yep, better than fiction, I'm hooked...

now, does "Swiss Miss" figure into it tangentially (just curious, my brain has been fogged-up with scifi).

What I really want to know is what hold other countries have over us and why. Is it complicity or compliance or more of a conundrum? Is sovereignty more of a function of class or country? really

[Initech]

66. This is the craziest story I've heard in a long time!

First, it explains why the owner of a $1 million Ferrari fled the scene at the time of the accident.

Second, what it doesnt explain though, is why the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority has an ANTI TERRORISM unit! WTF???

[RazzleDazzle]

69. And for fewer than 1500 households, don't forget!

[DLnyc]

70. If I had to guess . . . Paramilitary units to grab people for 'rendition'

Saw something fishy in NYC last fall: Lots of undercover cops materialize, a guy is 'arrested' and put into a brand-new van with no windows. NY Police Dept. has absolutely NOTHING new--all cars, trucks, etc. are old and delapidated.

I don't like crazy theories and I don't have any real evidence for this . . . it just 'smells' like rendition.

(Sadly, in the paranoia and confusion, I didn't get any license plate numbers or other info. It gives me a somewhat nauseous feeling now to think what I might have let go down in front of me. Then again, maybe it was just a routine arrest. My gut tells me it wasn't, though.)

[JohnnyCougar]

77. Were those Homeland Security guys really DHS???

What if they were just fellow goons trying to "straighten out" the investigation and make sure their friend got off?

They supposedly flashed badges, but would a average police officer question people that walked up with badges saying they were homeland security? Would he know what a DHS badge looks like? Would he dare interfere with a federal government anti-terrorism operation?

[file83]

80. No - those guys were NOT from DHS - they were from the SGVTA.

Read ALL of the posts by "troubleinwinter" here on this thread - he/she (don't know) has found some AMAZING information and made some insightful observations. This thing is a LOT more nefarious than what the media is covering or than what this "Yosuf" guy is letting on.

[The_Truth2]

87. San Gabriel Valley Transit Bus On Freeway

I saw this string and thought I should tell everyone what I saw a couple months ago. I was driving down the 23 freeway that goes from Semi Valley to the 101 in Thousand Oaks. I saw a San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority bus in the center lane surrounded by all black vans and SUV's with U.S. Government license plates. It caught my eye for several reasons. First it was about 2:30 in the morning and no where near the San Gabriel Valley and second the lights were all on in the bus and I could see what looked like crash dummies in the seats. The vehicles surrounding the bus seemed to be keeping me away from it. All the vehicles had antennas and what looked like small satellite dishes and these black dome looking things on them. Anybody have any idea what that was all about? Could it be related to the Ferrari?

[newyawker99]

88. Hi The_Truth2!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[The_Truth2]

89. Thank you

I've followed this site for a while now, and finally felt the urge to participate since the discussion was about something that has interested me for a while now. Thank you for the warm welcome, and hopefully someone has some answers.