'American Police Force' founder a felon with at least 17 aliases

[babsbunny]

http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/10/revealed-american-police-force-founder-an-ex-con/

Entrepreneur behind Mont. jail has checkered past

California entrepreneur promising to revitalize rural Montana town has checkered past

MATTHEW BROWN
AP News

Oct 01, 2009 13:05 EST

Michael Hilton showed up in Hardin, Mont., last week, presenting himself as an economic savior, the man who would take over the town's $27 million jail — empty since it was built as a development project in 2007 — and provide 200 new jobs in the process.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. K&R! Must Read!

[blogslut]

2. Busted

This was a con job and frankly, Al Peterson and Becky Shay should be held to account along with Michael Hilton.

BIG KICK & REC.

[MisterP]

3. crap, it's Lyle Lanley n/t

[Canuckistanian]

4. Apparently, he's got as bad reputation from his Iraq "advisor" days

Those who knew him were less than impressed with him. He was always involved in schemes to enrich himself, rather than providing actual services.

I heard this from a CBC show interviewing Matthew Brown, the writer of this article.

[blogslut]

5. More kick

For this thread

[Ellipsis]

6. Full article

http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_8c78ef7a-ae3e-11de-a00d-001cc4c002e0.html

[babsbunny]

9. WOW!

My Sister lives in Montana.

[DireStrike]

7. So it was a scam.

Interesting. The reaction from us, I mean.

I was ready to believe it was Blackwater myself.

[blogslut]

8. Is this the same guy, scamming in Australia?

http://bayside-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/brighton-mansion-in-million-dollar-fraud/

Brighton mansion in million dollar fraud

A BRIGHTON beachside mansion is at the centre of a nationwide hunt for a Mentone man who Chelsea police want to question over an alleged $1.1 million fraud.

Detective Sgt Andrew Hobson said police wanted to speak to 46-year-old Michael Drljaca, who also goes by the names Michael Katic and Michael Miodrag, about a deal involving the house.

“This is an extremely serious case as it’s such a large sum of money,” Sgt Hobson said.

Police have taken the unsual step of releasing the Mr Drljaca’s name in a bid to contact him...

From the AP & Missoulian articles, Michael Miodrag was one of this guy's aliases.

[Canuckistanian]

11. That's him

I recognize the name "Michael Miodrag", from the CBC interview I heard tonight.

[Ellipsis]

15. Police are urging people who might have information on Mr Drljaca’s whereabouts to phone [phone].

[blogslut]

10. I'm not letting this one drop off the front page

kick

[Ellipsis]

12. Montana attorney general launches investigation of jail deal with Calif company

LA Times

Basically, same article with better lead


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6667901&mesg_id=6676737

Tip of the hat to new Du'er Cincy.Capell

[blogslut]

13. Good

Good for the people of Hardin, Montana.

[Ellipsis]

14. kick

I don't think he is the founder, though who knows?

[Mari333]

16. this does NOT surprise me READ THIS

a few years ago, the local officials at the NUCLEAR POWER PLANT here hired a security guy who said he had been a mercenary and had been in combat. They didnt check ANY of his credentials, and he was in charge of SECURITY AT THE NUCLEAR PLANT FOR A YEAR.

One day, a writer from Esquire magazine uncovered this guys background..and here is the story

http://www.esquire.com/features/mercenary0607


the local officials had let this NUT run a NUCLEAR PLANT

Im not surprised that these small town officials were taken in.

[fishwax]

17. yeah, he's a con artist

and the APF web page is a hodgepodge of stock photos and text plagiarized from a variety of sources. Much of the "It's Blackwater" speculation stemmed from the fact that a Blackwater website was one of the many sites the APF stole from.

I'm glad the guy's past is getting more attention now, and that the Montana AG is apparently looking into it.

K/R :kick:

[struggle4progress]

18. "They won't be able to lay a hand on me if I take over the police department!"