Raven Pleads Guilty To Felony Embezzlement

JerseyGirl said:
Exactly. But not for actual "repairs". When I have more time, I'm going to have to search through the threads to find out when certain additions and alterations were made to his vehicles. I can't really hold it against a person who steals to put food in their family's mouths. But to install a trailer hitch? Well, that's a different story.

New Rims, New Paint Job, New Tires, lift it or drop it? etc. etc. etc.

He paid top dollar and the vehicle didn't hold it's value. So he gets upside down on the loan and continues to dump more and more money into it.

Then he does the same dang thing with the Ducatti and all the accessories and gear.
 
So far, I haven't found much to indicate what he did to the car during a specific time period. What I have found in the first page of searching is some information from two posts originally from golfmom:

On January 20, 2005, (6 months after the first embezzlement episode; within 1 month of being fired), Raven posted the following in his "attempt" to sell the VX:

... I recently installed the Cobra CB radio with Firewire Antenna, but I haven't hard wired it to the car yet (cause I don't know how). I also have run the wires for the trunk popper, but again, not wired.

... Underneath this bad boy is a PV2 Muffler, OEM 912 springs, RS9000 shocks and a heafty 33in tires. The latest add on was the beefy STINKYFAB links that are painted Red.

Prior to that, on May 7, 2004, (2 months prior to the first embezzlement episode), Raven posted, (and this post is actually quite sad - even in talking about the upcoming birth of his child, he finds more things that he must buy for the VX - it seems sad that it just never seemed like enough for Raven, no matter how much he had):

IN a nutshell, I WILL NEVER EVER SELL MY VX.. In fact, got a little one on the way (Oct due date). By then I hope to have a DVD screen in the front and a drop down screen in the back.... Barney, here we come!!!!!!
 
golfmom said:
New Rims, New Paint Job, New Tires, lift it or drop it? etc. etc. etc.

He paid top dollar and the vehicle didn't hold it's value. So he gets upside down on the loan and continues to dump more and more money into it.

Then he does the same dang thing with the Ducatti and all the accessories and gear.
But he looked good, GM. And in Raven's world, that is what mattered. At least he didn't set those things on fire.
 
golfmom said:
Then he does the same dang thing with the Ducatti and all the accessories and gear.
That's right. I had forgotten about the Ducati during that same time period. Unfortunately, we don't have posts from Raven about expenses for the Ducati.

I'm convinced that Raven didn't steal from his employer because he couldn't make ends meet. IMO, it was definitely because he had to constantly add to his toy collection, and then pay dollar after dollar after dollar to make his toys the best of them all.

It wasn't enough for Raven to have the VX - he needed to see the responses to his photographs on the VX site - "sweet" and "top 5". Unfortunately, it seems that he never stopped adding because having the VX wasn't good enough, having people say "top 5" wasn't good enough. Raven wanted his to be the best and probably couldn't stop himself from this obsession with his vehicle. Like other things, it was an extension of himself. And the more flashy, expensive things he had, the more he could draw attention to those items instead of his shallow, nothing-to-offer-beneath-the-surface personality.
 
12/2/04, (the last of the 5 embezzlement episodes & shortly before being fired):

NC_VX
Super VXer
99, Ironman VX, 1455
Chapel Hill, NC US
Member Since: Jun 2003
Posts: 200


http://www.vehicross.info/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif Help Please- Cylinder misfire and Timing Belt

... I took my car into a repair place Monday for an oil change, tire rotation, and new Timing Belt. Looks like a half day's of labor turned into a three day project. Seems that the Water Pump they wanted to add was the wrong one, then the Timing belt wasn't "Timing" right and they couldn't figure it out. Then it looks like the gasget cracked and oil was leaking, then the timing was still off... Finally on Thursday afternoon I pick up my car. They only charged me for three hours of labor even though it took them forever...

(blah, blah, blah) ...

I just drove the thing 700 miles this weekend for thanksgiving and the light did come on once and I figured it was for the timing belt or the maintenance. (Note - he brought the vehicle in on Monday after the light came on over Thanksgiving weekend - 1) It was a problem that had just popped up - he got it there first thing on Monday; it wasn't a problem that he knew was brewing back in July when he started stealing from ES, and 2) How many of us can run our vehicles to the shop first thing Monday morning and pick it up on Thursday, paying $450 for repairs - that close to Christmas, right after the birth of a child, especially when there are other vehicles that we could drive in the meantime? I guess he had saved some of that e-bay money , (which is odd because you'd think he would have used it for the actual VX payment for which he says he is several payments behind two months later in February - see my next post)).

I feel kinda cheated here causee I expect to get my car back better then when I brought it in since I paid $450 for them to do all that stuff.

12/09/2004 (one week since spending the $450):
06:52 AM
NC_VX
Super VXer
99, Ironman VX, 1455
Chapel Hill, NC US
Member Since: Jun 2003
Posts: 200


Wow, I thought a lot of people would pop up and give some advise.

No worries, I just have to spend another $575 to get my Cam's aligned. The original mechanic had no clue how to change this timing belt...Oops!
 
... or at least that's what he wanted his VX board "friends" to think. And then in February, we have this (originally from SES):

02/15/2005
09:42 AM
NC_VX
Super VXer
99, Ironman VX, 1455
Chapel Hill, NC US
Member Since: Jun 2003
Posts: 200
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/im...utation_pos.gif


http://www.vehicross.info/forums/images/icons/icon4.gif Let's Cut our Losses

... I am now working for an IT training company out of Raleigh, however I am not making near what I need to survive. I am still steadily interviewing for some higher paying jobs and one job I am in as a finalist.

I've decided that parting with the VX is going to be what I need to do. I am going to go to the complete lowest I can go to hopefully sell within 30 days as I am a few payments behind as of today and don't think I can catch up in my current state...
 
golfmom said:
Isn't that funny he was already BEHIND while he was stealing from his employer?

It is, but sad too. It may show that he needed more and more money to get by.
 
golfmom said:
Isn't that funny he was already BEHIND while he was stealing from his employer?
Well that could "justify" the stealing to pay the bills.

But what blows my mind is that on Thanksgiving weekend, the engine light goes on. First thing Monday morning, he rushes the car into the shop and pays $450 when he picked it up three days later. Then he says in a post one week later something like "no big deal - I just have to pay another $575".

But in the beginning of February, he makes claims in his posts of being several payments behind on the VX. If several is at least three, that means that he hadn't made a payment since December at the most recent. So he was throwing this money out to fix the VX in spite of the fact that he wasn't making payments on the VX! The VX that he STILL has, correct? He couldn't find money to pay what he owed to own the VX but God forbid it would be broken, and he couldn't drive it around to show himself off. The priorities are extremely frightening from a guy that was supposed to be acting like a mature, responsible husband and father. I am personally sorry that Janet didn't have better. Raven's behavior is PATHETIC.

In spite of having stolen that stuff for months, he still wasn't paying his bills.

Does anyone remember when the e-bay sales were taking place? I imagine it was prior to December because that's when he was fired, and we've heard he has only twenty-some pairs of shoes left to return.
 
3 months prior to the first embezzlement, Raven had not yet installed the CB, etc., in his VX:

NC_VX
04/16/2004
06:47 AM
Guys, it looks like we're all on our own for this weekend. Its probably better, I am moving the end of htis month and getting preasure from friends and family that I am shirking my responsibilities for entertainment.... NO, not me!!!!

Besides, three mods to complette: Still don't have my CB installed, Trunk popper, muffler, or tint..... Very minor stuff, but I want to have my VX all shiny when she meets her brothers and sisters!!!!

Catch ya'll later! __________________
-The Rave-
North Carolina
 
03/23/2004
10:29 AM
Super VXer
99, Ironman VX, 1455
Chapel Hill, NC US
Member Since: Jun 2003
Posts: 200
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/im...utation_pos.gif


THE RENEWED 1999 BLACK IRONMAN... My Baby!

Long awaited release of my new look! I get even more looks now, and I've only been sporting the new look for 24 hours. I stopped by an Isuzu dealership and they were paging everyone to come out and take a look (however, I am not a big fan of their mechanics, go figure) and I've had approval by a few girls who weren't sure if they liked it or not. I've still got some mechancil issues and some more buffing to do, but I think it will all be worth it.

The big Question is, do I want to take it wheelin' now? Sure I do, but I'm gonna have to be very careful!!! Check out the StinkFab bent links I've got tucked under the rear wheels... The clearance looks awesome now!!!!
 
I forgot about this one, first posted by lauriej. In July 2004, (the month the embezzling began), Raven was chomping at the bit to get a part that was listed for sale on the VX site because another poster apparently wanted it too. I'm not sure what this part is, who ultimately got to purchase it, or how much it cost. But apparently the money problems couldn't have been that severe at the time if he so desperately wanted to purchase this unnecessary accessory.

P.S. After going through all of these old posts, I want to thank all of you again that dug up all of this information. What a lot of work has been done on this case, and it's so helpful to be able to refer back to these posts.

07/05/2004
05:38 PM
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/member.php?u=510NC_VX
Super VXer
99, Ironman VX, 1455
Chapel Hill, NC US
Member Since: Jun 2003
Posts: 200
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/im...utation_pos.gif


Hood Insert Spoken For
I've got dibs on this insert that 01VX posted I hope. He sent an email and I am looking to pay ASAP.

By the way, insured shipping in case damaged right>
__________________
-The Rave-
North Carolina
 
The tone in this post doesn't strike me as a desperate person who's stealing from his employer because he needs to pay bills.

NC_VX
09/13/2004, 08:36 PM
Lazy Me! I'm in Durham, NC. I travel between Charlotte and Raleigh with soccer all the time and work in Beautiful Hillsborough!!!

I drive a very sweet custom painted Black VX. Check out my images!

Anyway, we've done some meets in DC and I know some guys from GA, SC, NC and VA would get together for a wheelin trip, we almost had one in Tennessee/NC boarder in early summber but due to military stuff it was canceled!!

Anyway... HI!
 
Ya know, JG, you might want to move that post over to the Dear Raven thread.

:blowkiss:
 
golfmom said:
Ya know, JG, you might want to move that post over to the Dear Raven thread.

:blowkiss:
I'll copy it over to there right now. Thanks for the suggestion. ETA: I originally posted it here only because it's based on my conclusions regarding the older posts that I've been babbling about here for the past day and because it's in reponse to his claim during the embezzlement hearing.

Thanks again! Back atcha ... :blowkiss:
 
JerseyGirl said:
I'll copy it over to there right now. Thanks for the suggestion. ETA: I originally posted it here only because it's based on my conclusions regarding the older posts that I've been babbling about here for the past day and because it's in reponse to his claim during the embezzlement hearing.

Thanks again! Back atcha ... :blowkiss:

Every so often I like to look in the Dear Raven thread to hear someone give Raven a piece of their mind. It can be refreshing. :angel:
 
JerseyGirl said:
The tone in this post doesn't strike me as a desperate person who's stealing from his employer because he needs to pay bills.

NC_VX
09/13/2004, 08:36 PM
Lazy Me! I'm in Durham, NC. I travel between Charlotte and Raleigh with soccer all the time and work in Beautiful Hillsborough!!!

I drive a very sweet custom painted Black VX. Check out my images!

Anyway, we've done some meets in DC and I know some guys from GA, SC, NC and VA would get together for a wheelin trip, we almost had one in Tennessee/NC boarder in early summber but due to military stuff it was canceled!!

Anyway... HI!
..........excellent job, jersey, in getting these posts back in the forefront......

...weird, that when we were copying and pasting them months ago, they had a different meassage in a way.......
...now, we KNOW , in that time frame, all about the embezzling...........the affair(s).....janet being pregnant............

...knowing what we know now, money issues being a problem..............raven was ALL about his VX , it never seemed to enter his mind to forego upgrades in that area.............

........good fo you JG in digging up these old posts...........the phrase " clear as mud" comes to mind...........raven was SO all about raven back then............is now...always has been.......
...poor janet............what she had to live with.........
 
lauriej said:
...weird, that when we were copying and pasting them months ago, they had a different meassage in a way.......
...now, we KNOW , in that time frame, all about the embezzling...........the affair(s).....janet being pregnant............
It really is bizarre to look at these old posts that you guys found but in this new context. They seem to paint such a different picture now. Hopefully all the pieces of the puzzle will come together soon.
 
I myself can see the finished Puzzle, though there are pieces left out. I see the dots being connected too and make out the finished picture, just a few more..........'s to be connected.
 

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