Bob Jones (Texas businessman)
Encyclopedia
Robert Edward "Bob" Jones is a Texas businessman. He is the former CEO of the National Center for Employment of the Disabled (NCED), which was based in El Paso
, Texas
. In late 2006 The Oregonian
newspaper published articles alleging that Jones embezzled millions of dollars from NCED and, by extension, from the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, a United States
federal program that helps blind
and other severely disabled people. Under the management of the Jones Family Trust (JFT), NCED allegedly broke federal rules by claiming, as disabled, employees whose only disability ("disadvantage") was not being able to speak English (but being able to speak Spanish). NCED, a maker of chemical protective suits for soldiers, has since been reorganized as ReadyOne.
On October 14, 2008, Bob Jones was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
after having been charged under a 37 count indictment in connection with the alleged contract fraud of millions of dollars in government programs. The arrest was part of a federal investigation into alleged public corruption among elected officials and prominent businesspeople in El Paso, Texas. Also arrested were Ernesto Lopez and Patrick James Woods. The office of the United States attorney in San Antonio stated that Robert Jones was accused of lying about the number of disabled employees, and of embezzling or stealing from the company. Prosecutors reportedly demanded that Jones forfeit $58.9 million. Jones originally pleaded not guilty.
On July 2, 2009, Jones pleaded guilty to various charges in the case.
On February 17, 2011, a judge sentenced Jones to 10 years in prison and $65 million in restitution for corruption and embezzlement.
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In late 2006 The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
newspaper published articles alleging that Jones embezzled millions of dollars from NCED and, by extension, from the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal program that helps blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
and other severely disabled people. Under the management of the Jones Family Trust (JFT), NCED allegedly broke federal rules by claiming, as disabled, employees whose only disability ("disadvantage") was not being able to speak English (but being able to speak Spanish). NCED, a maker of chemical protective suits for soldiers, has since been reorganized as ReadyOne.
On October 14, 2008, Bob Jones was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
after having been charged under a 37 count indictment in connection with the alleged contract fraud of millions of dollars in government programs. The arrest was part of a federal investigation into alleged public corruption among elected officials and prominent businesspeople in El Paso, Texas. Also arrested were Ernesto Lopez and Patrick James Woods. The office of the United States attorney in San Antonio stated that Robert Jones was accused of lying about the number of disabled employees, and of embezzling or stealing from the company. Prosecutors reportedly demanded that Jones forfeit $58.9 million. Jones originally pleaded not guilty.
On July 2, 2009, Jones pleaded guilty to various charges in the case.
On February 17, 2011, a judge sentenced Jones to 10 years in prison and $65 million in restitution for corruption and embezzlement.
Sources
- El Paso Inc. -- "Nasty allegations fly in lawsuit against Bob Jones" (By Dan Huff)
- America's Investigative Reports (AIR) -- 2006-11-17 PBS broadcast on activities in connection with the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program
- "Corrupt El Paso charity boss exposed by The Oregonian gets 10 years in federal prison", at The OregonianThe OregonianThe Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
Friday, February 18, 2011