Christopher William Smith
Encyclopedia
Christopher William Smith ("Rizler") (born January 28, 1980) was a prolific e-mail spammer, and sold drugs online from his illegal Xpress Pharmacy Direct in Burnsville, Minnesota
, United States
. He is currently serving a 30 year prison sentence.
and his mother's house in Burnsville. He attended high school
at the Academy of Holy Angels
and later transferred to a public school in Lakeville
, but never completed high school.
to distribute controlled substances, wire fraud
, selling misbranded drugs and money laundering
. Federal officials added a count of operating a continuing criminal enterprise in a revised indictment
filed in May 2006. During his final year in business he earned $18 million and had an 85-employee company. In addition, he violated court order by leaving the country and withdrawing frozen assets. After having his bail revoked, he then plotted to kill a witness, which was recorded by the jail phone system.
In January 2006, Smith was, in a separate case, ordered to pay AOL
$5.6 million (or $25,000 for every day he sent out spam e-mails) for spamming its members in 2003.
In October 2006, Dr. Phillip Mach, who wrote the prescriptions for Smith's customers, plead guilty on one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, four counts of wire fraud, three counts of unlawful distribution and dispensing of a controlled substance, and five counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
In November 2006, Smith was convicted on nine counts by a federal jury
in Minneapolis. On August 1, 2007 he was sentenced to 30 years in prison
for charges including plotting to have a witness
in his case killed.
Currently, Smith is housed at the Federal Correctional Institution Medium, Beaumont in the Federal Correctional Complex, Beaumont
located near Beaumont, Texas. He has the Federal Bureau of Prisons
ID # 12310-041 and his projected release date is April 04, 2023.
Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is currently serving a 30 year prison sentence.
Early life
Smith grew up in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, splitting his time between his father's house on Lake MinnetonkaLake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka is a lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Throughout its recorded history, the lake has been a resort destination. It is located west-southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The lake is an irregular shape with numerous bays and islands which make up about of shoreline...
and his mother's house in Burnsville. He attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at the Academy of Holy Angels
Academy of Holy Angels
The Academy of Holy Angels is a Catholic, coeducational high school located in Richfield, Minnesota. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Holy Angels educates more than 820 students each year in grades nine through twelve from around the Twin Cities...
and later transferred to a public school in Lakeville
Lakeville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,128 people, 13,609 households, and 11,526 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,192.4 people per square mile . There were 13,799 housing units at an average density of 381.5 per square mile...
, but never completed high school.
Business and conviction
He was charged in August 2005 with conspiracyConspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
to distribute controlled substances, wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
, selling misbranded drugs and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
. Federal officials added a count of operating a continuing criminal enterprise in a revised indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
filed in May 2006. During his final year in business he earned $18 million and had an 85-employee company. In addition, he violated court order by leaving the country and withdrawing frozen assets. After having his bail revoked, he then plotted to kill a witness, which was recorded by the jail phone system.
In January 2006, Smith was, in a separate case, ordered to pay AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
$5.6 million (or $25,000 for every day he sent out spam e-mails) for spamming its members in 2003.
In October 2006, Dr. Phillip Mach, who wrote the prescriptions for Smith's customers, plead guilty on one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, four counts of wire fraud, three counts of unlawful distribution and dispensing of a controlled substance, and five counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
In November 2006, Smith was convicted on nine counts by a federal jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
in Minneapolis. On August 1, 2007 he was sentenced to 30 years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for charges including plotting to have a witness
Witness
A witness is someone who has firsthand knowledge about an event, or in the criminal justice systems usually a crime, through his or her senses and can help certify important considerations about the crime or event. A witness who has seen the event first hand is known as an eyewitness...
in his case killed.
Currently, Smith is housed at the Federal Correctional Institution Medium, Beaumont in the Federal Correctional Complex, Beaumont
Federal Correctional Complex, Beaumont
Federal Correctional Complex, Beaumont is a large federal prison for men consisting of two different levels of security, including low and medium, in unincorporated Jefferson County, Texas, near Beaumont. The FCC, Beaumont institution is also near United States Penitentiary, Beaumont, a prison for...
located near Beaumont, Texas. He has the Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
ID # 12310-041 and his projected release date is April 04, 2023.
External links
- Xpress Pharmacy Direct (former website from Archive.org)
- Supermax lockup for spammer Rizler
- List of Forfeited Vehicles
- The Rise and Fall of Christopher Smith