Almon Glenn Braswell
Encyclopedia
Almon Glenn Braswell was an American
business owner who founded Gero Vita International Inc. He is most noted for being one of the 140 people pardon
ed in the Bill Clinton pardons controversy
of January 2001.
in relation to false claim
s about a baldness
treatment and sentenced to three years in federal prison
. He was later pardoned by Clinton in January 2001, on Clinton's last day in office.
$10.5 million in taxes. His company Gero Vita has also been taken to court by the Federal Trade Commission
. His activities have been documented for many years by Stephen Barrett
of Quackwatch
.
by his employees.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
business owner who founded Gero Vita International Inc. He is most noted for being one of the 140 people pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
ed in the Bill Clinton pardons controversy
Bill Clinton pardons controversy
President Bill Clinton was criticized for some of his pardons and acts of executive clemency. While most presidents grant pardons on several days throughout their terms, Clinton chose to make most of them on January 20, 2001. Collectively, the controversy surrounding these actions has sometimes...
of January 2001.
False treatment for baldness
In 1983, Braswell was convicted of mail fraud and perjuryPerjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
in relation to false claim
False Claims Act
The False Claims Act is an American federal law that imposes liability on persons and companies who defraud governmental programs. The law includes a "qui tam" provision that allows people who are not affiliated with the government to file actions on behalf of the government...
s about a baldness
Baldness
Baldness implies partial or complete lack of hair and can be understood as part of the wider topic of "hair thinning". The degree and pattern of baldness can vary greatly, but its most common cause is male and female pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, alopecia androgenetica or...
treatment and sentenced to three years in federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
. He was later pardoned by Clinton in January 2001, on Clinton's last day in office.
IRS and FTC investigations
In 2003, Braswell was arrested again and charged with owing the Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
$10.5 million in taxes. His company Gero Vita has also been taken to court by the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
. His activities have been documented for many years by Stephen Barrett
Stephen Barrett
Stephen Joel Barrett is a retired American psychiatrist, author, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud , and the webmaster of Quackwatch. He runs a number of websites dealing with quackery and health fraud. He focuses on consumer protection, medical ethics, and scientific...
of Quackwatch
Quackwatch
Quackwatch is an American non-profit organization founded by Stephen Barrett with the stated aim being to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" and with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."...
.
Death
Braswell (at age 63) was found dead Saturday, October 26, 2006 in his condoCondominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
by his employees.
See also
- Bill Clinton pardons controversyBill Clinton pardons controversyPresident Bill Clinton was criticized for some of his pardons and acts of executive clemency. While most presidents grant pardons on several days throughout their terms, Clinton chose to make most of them on January 20, 2001. Collectively, the controversy surrounding these actions has sometimes...
- False Claims ActFalse Claims ActThe False Claims Act is an American federal law that imposes liability on persons and companies who defraud governmental programs. The law includes a "qui tam" provision that allows people who are not affiliated with the government to file actions on behalf of the government...
(law used to prosecute people who make false claims) - Federal Trade CommissionFederal Trade CommissionThe Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
- PardonPardonClemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
- QuackwatchQuackwatchQuackwatch is an American non-profit organization founded by Stephen Barrett with the stated aim being to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" and with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."...
External links
- Man Once Pardoned By Clinton Again Faces Prison (Associated Press, September 13, 2004)
- QUACK IN MY BOX: How I tracked down, and yelled at, the biggest mail-order peddler of health remedies in the country (Fefer, Mark D.; January 5, 2000; Seattle Weekly)
- Federal Trade Commission legal case citation (United States District Court Central District of California Western Division)
- Well-known con man pardoned by Clinton dies in Miami Beach