Authorities: Dive boat owner faked invoices, photos to collect lionfish bounties

[seeker242]

Authorities: Dive boat owner faked invoices, photos to collect lionfish bounties

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also charged the dive boat owner’s girlfriend with helping him doctor photos.

TEQUESTA — The owner of a scuba diving business collected more than $10,000 in state bounties for taking customers out to kill invasive lionfish, but he faked invoices, doctored photos, and on at least 40 of 58 dates he supposedly was at sea, his boat sat in a warehouse, authorities allege.

John Clay Dickinson, 61, of Lake Park, and Rachel Janea McGinnis, 42, identified as Dickinson’s live-in girlfriend, were booked Wednesday morning at the Palm Beach County Jail. Each was charged with an organized scheme to defraud, uttering a forgery, forgery and grand theft.

 

[Avonthediver]

Are these the same folks that own Florida Scuba Divers? The mug shoot sure looks like them.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Are these the same folks that own Florida Scuba Divers? The mug shoot sure looks like them.

I believe so.

 

[Diver below 83]

I’ll make sure to steer clear of them

 

[JohnnyC]

Yep. And they posted bail and were out partying on Halloween. Must not be too concerned with the fraud charges if they're posting their celebrations all over Facebook.

 

[Tom Winters]

Damn...for a lousy 10 grand, they opened one really nasty can o’ worms with the court system.

 

[DandyDon]

Well, they invoiced for $20K, had collected half, but were lousy at photoshop. They got off easy. The updated article says the charges are being dropped with a warning and a requirement of restitution...

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article240661356.html

 

[DandyDon]

Well, they invoiced for $20K, had collected half, but were lousy at photoshop. They got off easy. Updated article says charges dropped with warning and required restitution...

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article240661356.html