Inmate Eric Connie obviously justified his name.
A small-town Kentucky attorney who called himself a “rich and prosperous attorney” defrauded the US government over $ 500 million in the largest fraud ever committed against the Social Security Administration. His plan funded his lifestyle, taking him to ports around the world, where, according to his own description, his exploits rivaled James Bond because he “chased the most beautiful women in the world” .
“You’re dealing with a guy who doesn’t have a moral compass,” said a lawyer who was once a scammer. “You can’t be mad at a snake, because you are a snake. “There are also people.”
This observation is proposed in a new series of documentaries great connie, which began streaming on Apple TV + over the weekend. The four-part Emmy nominee comes from James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazart, writers and directors of the 2020 hit documentary. McMillions Which tells the story of a deceptive fraud committed against a McDonald’s Monopoly game.
“We are fascinated by the unique stories that have so many twists, but also a certain amount of humor and wit,” Lazarus told Deadline. “betting great connie It is much bigger than before McMillions. But a lot of what really drew us into this story was making it and incorporating Eric’s point of view. “
Connie saw herself as Robin Hood from rural Kentucky, dressed not in a hat paired with green stockings and feathers, but in a dress, jacket instead of a sling coat, and arrows. She took it from the rich, or the federal government, and she gave it to the poor: people who claimed to be disabled and deserved to pay for Social Security disability.
“I’ve been a fanatic of ethics for a long time,” Conna convinced the directors. Before it wasn’t.
Conn conspired with a shady doctor and a false judge who oversees disability complaints. Together they quickly tracked down the benefits of thousands of people, some deserving and some not.
“Kon created elaborate and fake models that the doctor would simply sign and say, ‘This person is disabled, he can’t work.’ The judge prints and approves. And so many people just went through the system, “Lazarte explains. The compensation and money Eric has received in each case will be 25 percent of his interest, or up to $ 6,000. So that’s it. it was a cumbersome game for him.
Cone’s advocacy practice flourished when he became known as an eligible child for disability benefits, which was approved by the Settlements Division. His pale face and sparkling white teeth smiled from the billboards, which said, “Do you need your SSI or Social Security?” “We’ve got you covered.”
“We are really fascinated by this idea of rationalizing people do to do a certain thing. There is a person. [Conn] “This streamlined the idea of stealing $ 550 million from the US government.” “But the reason people do it is because you can rationally say they are trying to help someone, because it usually takes about 18 months for people who need these benefits to get them.” And this man found himself doing it for up to six months. So you get help right away from the people who need it, but you do it in very vague ways. “
This escape would never have been revealed without the efforts of two restless whistleblowers who worked at the Office of Disability Review and Review in West Virginia, and journalist Damian Pallet, who thoroughly investigated the situation and posted the information on Wall Street. Journal in May 2011. .
Pallet was actually disabled as a child: there’s a painful home video in which, at the age of 8, she spins the baseball tracks in a painful and uncomfortable brace to correct a congenital thigh problem. She received death threats while working on the Cons story; Someone in the DA’s office suggested we throw Pallet into a ditch.
“He was really fascinating with Damián because he’s a journalist, but ultimately he’s part of the story,” said Hernández. “Then it occurred to us. The article you wrote is forcing changes at the US Senate level. “
great connie There are many colorful characters, including Mason Tuckett, a musician and rapper who wrote jingles for Connie’s commercials (without being asked, he suddenly showed the filmmakers his full teeth to prove that not all of them in East Kentucky are a dental challenge).
But the most important character is Konya herself. She spent $ 400,000 on a statue of President Lincoln, which she ostentatiously displayed outside her office, next to an equally powerful replica of the Statue of Liberty. She has hired a porn star to appear in some of her TV commercials. In Thailand, she allegedly opened a Halloween-themed brothel. And then there was her romantic and even chivalrous love of marriage. How many times have you sat down?
“Six times, maybe at least seven times,” he told Hernandez and Lazarus. In fact, that number was closer to 16 or 17. This sense of mysterious behavior could come from a repressed upbringing.
“Eric was forced to be very serious from a young age. He was raised by a very strict mother and had to go to elementary school every day … he wore a suit and tie. “He went to school with a briefcase,” said Hernandez, describing Connie’s mother as “untouchable under 50”. And he worked for his law firm for her … Even though he wanted money to buy sodas from a soda machine, he had to ask her “mother”, so he referred to her until her death. As an adult, he started to see a way to make money, to see ways to earn his name … he really saw it as his chance to finally let go of his inner child and start doing all these weird things. . “
The law came late to Cons and his associates, but only years after Palette’s story was published. So how great connie Before appearing in court, a Kentucky lawyer is said to have torn off a surveillance leash and attached it to the Mexican border. Like James Bond, he avoids SPECTER.
As one person on the show says, “Eric Connie was Eric S. gone”.
მოხდა What happened next? There are no spoilers here. You have to take yourself to the TV series.
as the palette says great connie“Everything about this guy was superfluous to believe. But it all happened. “
Source: Deadline
