For years, Craig Oliver has been the topic of a nationwide search by federal brokers.
Oliver pleaded responsible to defrauding dozens of D.C.-area householders out of greater than $2.5 million, however he vanished in 2005 earlier than a choose may ship him to jail.
On Monday, after a decade-long search, the FBI introduced that the fugitive has been quietly dwelling within the Los Angeles space, working as a house renovation marketing consultant along with his spouse, Jennifer Oliver.
The pair has a number of aliases. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller mentioned Oliver had lately passed by Leigh Owsley, and his spouse, Tara Jean.
As Owsley, he had been working as a home windows and doorways marketing consultant in Culver Metropolis and Gardena, she mentioned.
The guidelines resulting in Oliver’s whereabouts got here after CNBC’s Sunday broadcast of “American Greed,” the true-crime collection that recounts high-profile scams and hucksters. The collection first featured Oliver in 2012.
Born in Washington, he lived close to Fairfax, Va., and labored in dwelling enchancment gross sales, building and reworking.
Beginning in 2002, Oliver used bogus enterprise licenses to lure shoppers to rent him for dwelling renovation work that was by no means accomplished, based on the FBI.
Jennifer Grimes, an investigator with the Maryland House Enchancment Fee, instructed the Baltimore Solar that she investigated 10 complaints from householders. She mentioned Oliver falsely claimed to have a contractor and building license and tricked householders into paying for renovations up entrance.
The case grew into a bigger federal probe involving a complete of 68 householders in Virginia and Maryland, federal officers mentioned.
“I did search for his license and examine with the Higher Enterprise Bureau,” Carole DePrato instructed the Gazette, a group newspaper in Maryland. ‘‘Every part checked out. I don’t know what else I may have executed.”
DePrato misplaced greater than $60,000. Some folks misplaced as a lot as $200,000, based on native media stories.
Oliver pleaded responsible. However whereas out on bond, he violated the phrases of his launch and did not name his pretrial companies officer. A federal choose issued a warrant for his arrest in December 2005 and he by no means confirmed up for his Jan. 20, 2006, sentencing.
Regardless of his absence, a federal choose imposed a 20-year jail sentence.
Investigators had believed Oliver was residing in Arizona or San Diego and launched images of the bald man along with his grey beard. Amongst his aliases are Mel Merlowe and Daniel Sullivan.
Eimiller mentioned the FBI had lately renewed its publicity on the case, prompting Sunday evening’s version of “American Greed.” Ideas got here in pointing to Southern California as Oliver and his spouse’s hiding spot.
Following up on the ideas, FBI brokers visited a enterprise on Monday tied to Oliver. There, brokers discovered that Oliver and his spouse had visited earlier within the day, picked up a examine, and mentioned they had been transferring away.
“Investigators imagine that Oliver was alerted to the latest publicity and fled as soon as once more,” Eimiller mentioned in a press release.
Oliver can be wished for a probation violation in a 1995 securities fraud case in Arlington County, Va.
Anybody with details about his or his spouse’s whereabouts is requested to contact the FBI area workplace in Los Angeles at (310) 477-6565.
Twitter: @MattHjourno
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