CONFESSIONS OF A
MONEY LAUNDERER by Kenneth Rijock
Financial Crime Consultant, for World-Check
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 58
18 March 2008

On the day of my release, after nineteen months and several days in custody, I gave away my Army watch, law-books and all the other useful items, as I wouldn't need them on the outside. I said my goodbyes to people who wouldn't get out for some time, some former clients, some friends from Miami's legal scene, and to my clients' accountant, who would not be released for several more months. I was going "to the door," to actual release, not to the halfway-house. My sister, who had been the only constant during my incarceration, and who would later go to law school herself, came to pick me up. Leaving the camp for good was a lot like being permanently transferred out of a military installation during service, but infinitely better; A breath of fresh air. At Eglin, the civilian airport was part of the air base. When I boarded the aircraft, and saw that the pilot, first officer, and flight engineer were all female, I thought I'd been away for far too long, as the world had changed around me. Maybe it was me that had changed, but in any event, I was free, airborne and on my way to the next chapter in my life.

My first impressions:

  • Two years away from anywhere, you notice changes; the trees and plants are taller; new buildings under construction. over on South Beach (as it had come to be known during my absence) the focus on Art Deco restorations had given way to tourist hotels and bars. nice, but far from the original concept  the planners had a decade before, when it was all retirees staying in the hotels in their original condition. But enough of this; back to my new life, such as it was.

  • I had gotten divorced during my stay (no surprise) so I was coming home  to my parents' spare bedroom, where I had originally stayed upon arrival from Vietnam, twenty-two years earlier. Was it strange? Not really, though getting up after dawn took some getting used to. There was the usual disapproval from society, but having experienced it before when I returned from Vietnam, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. You can get used to being an outcast; just focus on yourself. ignore the rest.

  • One of the partners in my counsin's law firm, who had represented me during my refusal to talk to the Grand Jury five long years before, offered me a paralegal assistant job, which I gladly took, with thanks. One day I was in prison, the next workday, I was at work in the old law office environment which I had spent close two twenty years working in. Did I initially think the people there didn't know how good they had it? Certainly I did.

  • What a difference a week makes-going from raking leaves in an air force blue work uniform, to wearing a tie once again (thank goodness) and becoming a civilian. No longer the stigmatised inmate, I was now out on what is euphemistically called Supervised Release, the new form of Parole. Same sh_t, different day; it is basically a way in which the system keep tabs upon you for a couple of years, lest you offend again, at which time you will be unceremoniously returned to custody, upon arrest, and long before  your trial in the new case.

  • My initial probation officer was into absolute control, but I had a new agenda. Since my clients, whom I had zealously represented and protected for years had turned on me as their version of gratitude, I was about to return the favour. I had myself transferred to the High Risk Section, which is mainly composed of individuals who are testifying against others. My new mission was, frankly, payback. Since the clients had put me in jail, I figured I owed their organisation a similar good deed. Would I  assist in finding fugitives, and in obtaining leads? You bet I would. Converts, as you know, are the most dedicated people, and I was now firmly on the side of law enforcement, and ready to make amends the hard way.

  • My opportunities for redemption soon presented themselves. On the way to the post office one Friday, I witnessed a smash & grab of a woman's pocketbook and dry cleaning. Chasing the thief into the tough part of Coconut Grove, I grabbed the clothing as he dropped it, piece by piece. He ended up under a house, until the police came with a dog, who bit him and forced him out. A good Samaritan later found the purse, so the woman recovered everything. When I was called to give a deposition by the Public Defender representing the criminal, I flat out told him that I was the "poster boy" for rehabilitation, and if his client went to trial, that my testimony would bury him. He pled guilty.  

  • My first real chance to undo some of my earlier actions  came when some of my former clients were up for parole, and law enforcement to hear evidence of  criminal activities that they had engaged in for years. These clients had threatened my life through a messenger, in the old days, and one of them had misrepresented to me that he was a Vietnam veteran.  These people were not my friends, and I discussed their criminal past with a clear conscience. Call it karma for their poor treatment of me; call it retribution, but it helped keep them in prison for a long time. and it did feel good. They deserved no less.

  • Working in a law firm again, doing research in civil matters, exercising my intellect, was stimulating, and it did keep me busy. But what of my future, what would I do for a career?  The practice of law was only available again if I was allowed back into the profession by the Bar, meaning the bar exam again, and probably years of futile applications. What next? I was soon to find out.

Next week: Opportunity knocks.
 

The facts and opinions stated in this article are those of the author and not those of World-Check. World-Check does not warrant the accuracy of any facts and opinions stated in this article, does not endorse them, and accepts no responsibility for them.

Read more in this exciting series

Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 72
Confessions of a Money launderer - Part 71
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 70
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 69
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 68
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 67
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 66
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 65
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 64
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 63
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 62
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 61
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 60
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 59
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 58
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 57
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 56
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 55
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 54
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 53
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 52
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 51
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 50
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 49
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 48
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 47
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 46
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 45
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 44
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 43
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 42
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 41
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 40
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 39
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 38
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 37
Confessions of a Money launderer - Part 36
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 35
Confessions of a Money launderer - Part 34
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 33
Confessions of a Money launderer - Part 32
Confessions of a Money launderer - Part 31
Confessions of a Money launderer - Part 30
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 29
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 28
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 27
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 26
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 25
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 24
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 23
Confessions of a Money Launderer - part 22
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 21
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 20
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 19
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 18
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 17
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 16
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 15
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 14
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 13
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 12
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 11
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 10
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 9
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 8
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 7
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 6
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 5
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 4
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 3
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 2
Confessions of a Money Launderer - Part 1
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