Shrout, Winston

[notorial dissent]

So he convinced the judge that because he was pro se that he couldn't get read by the trial date and they extended it? I didn't think they would have done that.

[The Observer]

Guys - read the docket. What you discuss definitely happens, but isn't happening here. The groyse chochem is pro se.

Listen to Wes. I just posted a case today on 3 sovruns who pulled basically the same stunt and ended up being pro se - to their utter demise.

[Jeffrey]

He's got a lawyer as "standby counsel", which I imagine must be hilarious behind the scenes.

[wserra]

Trial still set for October 11. Anyone in the Portland (OR) area next month?

[Chaos]

Trial still set for October 11. Anyone in the Portland (OR) area next month?

the Bundys.

[fortinbras]

I imagine they postponed the trial date for him, in light of his pro se status, in order to (1) increase the likelihood that he'd get enough sense to let a lawyer handle his case, and/or (2) reduce his chances of winning an appeal if he went ahead pro se.

[Jeffrey]

Interestingly, Shrout is still scheduling seminars and selling stuff on his website.

[notorial dissent]

Shrout doesn't strike me a particularly sharp, so both the pro se and the continuing bad behavior doesn't seem at all out of character. I really do think he thinks he's invincible. His poor standby ha to just be tearing his hair out since Shrout won't listen to a word he says, he knows it all.

[Jeffrey]

Shrout made some brief and deranged comments about his current legal problems here:

https://youtu.be/reSj54C22HY?t=4649

Timestamp should allow you to skip 90 minutes of nonsense.

[wserra]

At Shrout's request, the Court reset the trial date to December 13.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Shrout made some brief and deranged comments about his current legal problems here:

https://youtu.be/reSj54C22HY?t=4649

Timestamp should allow you to skip 90 minutes of the two hours of nonsense.

There, fixed it for you.

[fortinbras]

With ref to Winston Shrout's nonsense on the videotape:

Shrout claims to have worldwide immunity as some sort of functionary of "The Office of International Treasury Control". This is a scam operating out of (I think) Thailand, pretending to be connected to the UN, which is most assuredly not authorized by the UN nor any government and appears to exist only to issue funny money and documents calculated to move that funny money along. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of ... ry_Control

It is not even clear if the few con artists running this "Office" are even aware that Shrout is pretending to be attached to them.
So far this "Office" has not been mentioned in any court decision reported on Lexis.

As for his indictment, which supposedly Shrout welcomes, back in March 2016 a federal grand jury in Oregon returned a superseding indictment charging Shrout with numerous counts of passing very unfunny funny money (more than 300 bits of paper pretending an aggregate value of more than one hundred Trillion dollars, which is a lot even when you say it fast) and six counts of failing to file tax returns. He is also charged with running a scam investment and financial service and advice firm, named Winston Shrout Solutions in Commerce.

If convicted, each count related to funny money could have a maximum of 25 years, and each count of not filing tax returns a year in prison. I wonder if the The Office of International Treasury Control will provide Shrout with a good lawyer.

[notorial dissent]

I don't know how Shrout thinks he got hooked up with OITC, although they are probably experiencing a severe leadership vacancy problem right about now since the fraud in chief is currently a guest of the Thai prison authorities and will likely be there a while, and I think his fellow con men have since decamped when it started getting too hot for them. For some reason the Thai authorities don't seem to be hospitable to this sort of things. In other news Shrout is a total and complete loon. When they finally get around to getting him in court it out to be a regular five ring circus with the clown in chief presenting for the defense.

[AndyK]

I don't know how Shrout thinks he got hooked up with OITC, ...

Shrout seems to be of the school of "throw enough pasta against the wal and something will stick long enough to tempt someone."

He, among many of the other self-professed gurus, have never come across a scam that they didn't like.

[notorial dissent]

Agreed, I never really thought Shrout dealt in originality, just that he was a a very active and prolific plagiarist. As you say, i don't think he ever met a scam he didn't like. He often seems to adapt and twist them a bit to suit himself, or maybe it's just that he's too lazy to actually get it right when he plagiarizes. I keep hoping that someone will finally shut him down for real for good, but so far it hasn't happened, maybe this time considering the charges they have him on, and I am hoping they'll go for consecutive sentencing. Otherwise he'll be right back at it.

[fortinbras]

I suppose you mean "shut him down for good" - and it looks like that federal indictment might do the trick.

[notorial dissent]

Uh yeah.

[jcolvin2]

Jury trial moved to April 18, 2017.

10/05/2016 65 ORDER by Judge Robert E. Jones Granting 64 Government's Unopposed Motion For Rule 15 Deposition as to Winston Shrout (1); Granting 64 Joint Motion For Continuance of Jury Trial Date as to Winston Shrout (1).. Rule 15 Deposition is set for 10/26/2016 at 1:00PM before Judge Robert E. Jones in Portland Courtroom 10A. The 12/13/2016 Jury Trial is STRICKEN and Jury Trial is RESET for 4/18/2017 at 9:00AM before Judge Robert E. Jones in Portland Courtroom 10A. This continuance constitutes excludable delay from 12/13/2016 through 4/18/2017, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A). The court specifically finds, in granting the motion, that the ends of justice served by taking such action outweigh the best interests of the public and defendant in a speedy trial because the additional time is necessary to afford defense counsel sufficient time to investigate the facts of this case, to negotiate with the government, and to prepare for pretrial motions and jury trial, if necessary. The parties are to notify the court by 4/3/2017 as to whether or not this case is expected to go to trial. (bp) (bp) (Entered: 10/05/2016)

[Judge Roy Bean]

"... defense counsel ..." ???

[wserra]

"... defense counsel ..." ???

Boilerplate Speedy Trial Act exclusion language.

It's the application itself that makes me wonder. Depositions are quite rare in federal criminal practice. In the fifteen years that I did that stuff, I only participated in one depo that I recall (and I would recall). On the rare occasions that it happens, it's almost always done to preserve testimony - a witness about to die or go an extended tour of duty at McMurdo Station, for example.

So who's the witness whose testimony the govt wishes to preserve? The application is sealed.