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Schwagstock Founder Enters Federal Prison

Started by anthrax, June 12, 2013, 12:40:30 PM

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anthrax

This is unreal...

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2013-06-13/news/jimmy-tebeau-crack-house-statute-schwagstock/

I went to a couple Schwagstocks back in the day, when I had bands playing there.  While this sets a very scary precedent, I'd have to agree 100% with the quote that said these fests were "an illegal drug haven, with its music as a side offering."  There would be 4,000 people there and about 10 in front of the stages for the smaller acts.  There would only be a couple hundred in front of The Schwag's headlining evening sets!

mistercharlie

"I used to be 'with it', but then they changed what 'it' was and now what I'm with isn't 'it' and what's 'it' seems weird and scary to me"
Quote from: kellerb on August 02, 2009, 02:29:05 AM
You haven't lived until you've had a robot shart in your ear and followed along in the live setlist thread while it happens. 

emay

def scary shit but they investigated this fest for 4 summers, making a ton of controlled buys and seeing security tell drug tellers where to set up and not set up....seems pretty sketchy to me.

def in no way is it the founder/promoter's fault. but does look sketchy when hes depositing 4.6 million in his bank account over the course of 6 years when the fest was only about 4k ppl.

sophist

Not if you do the math.  The article states he held 6 festivals a year.  Let's say he averages 6k a festy for attendance (which is what the article mentions), and according to the article, it's $60/person for the weekend pass. 

$60 pass x 6000 people = 360,000 x 6 festivals/year = $2,160,000.  If that's one year.  Then after 6 years it would be $12,960,000 before taxes and expenses are removed.  He only took home $4,600,000 of that.  Sounds about right to me.  That's 35.5%, and you figure the government is ass fucking him at about a 50% tax rate, and the remainder being expenses.  It's there to me. 

It sounds like he pretty much got popped for turning a cold shoulder to what was obviously a free for all setting.  I def agree it sets a ridiculous precedent, and I also laughed out loud at the TN cops praising Bonnaroo security.  That was a good one.   
Can we talk about the Dead?  I'd love to talk about the fucking Grateful Dead, for once, can we please discuss the Grateful FUCKING Dead!?!?!?!

emay

ah I thought they were only investing schwagstock. not camp zoe and all that.

sophist

Quote from: emayPhishyMD on June 12, 2013, 02:40:28 PM
ah I thought they were only investing schwagstock. not camp zoe and all that.
From the article it sounded like Schwagstock led the authorities to investigating the totality of his operations. 

Also, anyone else think the sister comes across as a methhead and maybe sold her brother out for freedom? 
Can we talk about the Dead?  I'd love to talk about the fucking Grateful Dead, for once, can we please discuss the Grateful FUCKING Dead!?!?!?!

emay

#6
Quote from: sophist on June 12, 2013, 02:55:29 PM
Quote from: emayPhishyMD on June 12, 2013, 02:40:28 PM
ah I thought they were only investing schwagstock. not camp zoe and all that.
From the article it sounded like Schwagstock led the authorities to investigating the totality of his operations. 

Also, anyone else think the sister comes across as a methhead and maybe sold her brother out for freedom?

haha yeah she def ratted that dude out or they pressed her to give info on him. she was obviously makin meth or helping someone make it by buying all those psydophedrine pills and then 3 months later got caught with meth. Even though it appears the info she gave was not really that incriminating on him either. But still what a bitch.

Case seems a little thin. I cant believe he took a plea agreement. If he had a jury trial it seems like he wouldnt have to do as much time. They got suspiscious of him when he deposited so much money, which led them to throw undercovers into schwagstock, none of them actually bought drugs from him or saw him touch any drugs (other than that one vid they say they have of him smoking a bowl). Theres no mention of wire taps or anything that specifically states he had drugs brought the fest to be sold. Just that he hired some slack ass security company that ended up taking these issues into their own hands. I guess its his fault that he wasnt on top of all the happenings at his fests, but with all the arrests the Undercovers got through the 6 years, doesnt say any of them actually knew the founder or were selling drugs on his behalf. Seems like they got the dealers right when they busted them and shouldnt have really investigated the founder any further.

sophist

yeah, the statute they cite is some Reagan esque bullshit measure.  I def think they evaluated the situation and came away thinking it would be cheaper (and more "beneficial" to society) to fuck the guy at the top.  That's my take at least.  I'd also say, from the article, it sounds like he made himself a very easy target.  New Rule: you run a music festival or venue cut your fucking hair as often as the moon cycles
Can we talk about the Dead?  I'd love to talk about the fucking Grateful Dead, for once, can we please discuss the Grateful FUCKING Dead!?!?!?!

DoW

I just want to  :clap: sophist for giving me a math and political lesson in one thread.

if he was only using $300k on average per festival for expenses, he clearly didn't pay enough people off.
Music is meant to be heard
***Support Bands That Allow Taping/Trading***

http://archive.org/search.php?query=taper%3A%22Brian%20V.%22&sort=-publicdate

sophist

Quote from: DoW on June 12, 2013, 03:15:30 PM
I just want to  :clap: sophist for giving me a math and political lesson in one thread.

if he was only using $300k on average per festival for expenses, he clearly didn't pay enough people off.
Exactly.  Or at least have your "security" pour out some alcohol and pop a balloon once in a while.  What I walked away from with that article, Bonnaroo will always be how it is because they hire a few pricks to "harass" the less seasoned drug peddlers at the gates.   
Can we talk about the Dead?  I'd love to talk about the fucking Grateful Dead, for once, can we please discuss the Grateful FUCKING Dead!?!?!?!

Hicks

Quote from: sophist on June 12, 2013, 03:24:46 PM
Quote from: DoW on June 12, 2013, 03:15:30 PM
I just want to  :clap: sophist for giving me a math and political lesson in one thread.

if he was only using $300k on average per festival for expenses, he clearly didn't pay enough people off.
Exactly.  Or at least have your "security" pour out some alcohol and pop a balloon once in a while.  What I walked away from with that article, Bonnaroo will always be how it is because they hire a few pricks to "harass" the less seasoned drug peddlers at the gates.

Yep sacrifice a few chumps so the cops know that you are cooperative. 
Quote from: Trey Anastasio
But, I don't think our fans do happily lap it up, I think they go online and talk about how it was a bad show.