New charges for Sotis (Add helium)and Emilie Voissem (Nexus Underwater)

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Thanks, but I am not affected all. I just feel sad for everyone involved. I may lose a little money which will have zero impact on me whatsoever.

I like Peter. I like Emilie. I like Claudia. Add Helium had a great business model and promoted rebreather diving. I liked Rob Stewart. The captain and crew of Horizon Divers are all great people. I don’t know anyone in Libya so no comment there! It’s just very sad that so many good people have been hurt by all of this and, unfortunately, Peter finds himself in the middle of it all.

Granted, our actions all have consequences and we must pay for our mistakes. However, “Let he who who has not sinned, cast the first stone.....”
 
Dr. Doug Ebersole:
I don’t know anyone in Libya so no comment there!
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We are nice people too, just going through rough times because of foreign powers butting in our affairs. You will like us and like the diving here :)
 
The wheels of justice go round and round, round and round

The AUSA filed, 05/29/2020
  • GOVERNMENT’S TRIAL BRIEF AND MOTION IN LIMINE
This document outlines the case against the defendants and asks for threshold limitations on issues that may be raised at trial

Of interest
  • Robotka wearing a wire
  • Voissem's alleged false statements, involvement
  • Issue of the civil lawsuit
  • Bruton statements
  • Sotis' belief that he was shielded by other parties
New time-bar for motions is June 26, 2020

Trial date of July 20, 2020

Behind the curtain - what's the plea offer? Who gets the better deal? Jail time, how much?

The feds rarely lose criminal cases.

Pew Research says that 2% go to trial, 90% guilty, 8% dismissed. One percent win at trial.

 

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Cert1967:
One percent win at trial.
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Do you mean half of those going to trial win? Or 1% of that small number going to trial win?
 
tursiops:
Do you mean half of those going to trial win? Or 1% of that small number going to trial win?
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Of the 2% that go to trial 83% are convicted, 17% acquited. Less than 1%, but maybe the defendant has a good day in court.

In the case in question - Voissem has a court-appointed attorney. I don't recall reading that Sotis is on the cuff as well.

The low number of cases that go to trial has impacted the training of young trial lawyers. They have a paucity of cases with which to gain experience. Some large firms have allowed their young folks to do pro bono state criminal work to gain experience in trial work.

Federal criminal case - the costs are prohibitive for most defendants. It's your assets versus those of the USA. Keep in mind that most criminal cases are heard in state courts.

Plead out to reduce risk. Go to trial and take your risk with the sentencing process if you lose. Good case or lucky - maybe in the 1% club.

The Duke article below - while several years old - gives insight into the process and the decline in the number of cases going to trial.

https://judicialstudies.duke.edu/si...studies/judicature/judicature100-1_hornby.pdf


FT_19.06.11_trialsandGuiltyPleas-pie-2.png
 
All I can think is how many people in the industry told me that I was wrong for calling out Sotus as I had a few times before this for others stuff he did, how many former students of his hated me for it.

Reading how Sotis was willing to let employees that were loyal to the point of stupid take the fall, planning to set up innocent others to take the fall, weave a web of lies to save himself sadly doesn't surprise me.

In context of everything we now know, it's a miracle the list of dead isn't longer than the 3 I know of off the top of my head.

You want an example of evil? Here you are.
 
cerich:
All I can think is how many people in the industry told me that I was wrong for calling out Sotus as I had a few times before this for others stuff he did, how many former students of his hated me for it.
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You need to vet the folks you decide to do business with. Pleasant demeanor is a plus but doesn't override character and capacity.

RB training? I think a little work, vetting the individual and companies involved, would be imperative. Perhaps more so than an open-water class? Maybe not.

Sotis, well it looks bad in the rear-view mirror - which would look-back ~ 15 years
  • The RS case
  • A few unhappy customers
  • Robotka legal issues
  • Kaizen BK
  • Ebersole lawsuit
  • The federal criminal case, current
  • Past criminal and civil cases
AND, some serious FED tax liens, lots of years of problems, first year is 2004

Robotka gets hosed. He is looking for dollars from the Kaizen BK - see attached.

Ebersole - nice guy and speaks well of Sotis in this thread - out a few bucks. Secures judgment for $54k.

From this actor, you want to take training, solicit advice, and buy gear?

This guy would appear to be like Pig-Pen of Peanuts fame - a dark cloud swirling about his every step.

Bet he would have made a good con-man at a carnival? Perhaps 3-card monte?
 

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there was a canadian instructor that went down to get trained as an instructor on the revo a couple of years ago , he went down once a month (about 3 times iirc )and came back with a higher rating each time .......i knew somthing was wrong then ............and by the way ....the instructor died a short time later.......i was told of this by another instructor that worked in the same store ,even sent me a photo with that instructor posing with peter
 
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