Harry Reid denies role in scheme to end a federal investigation into a Utah businessman.
St. George businessman Jeremy Johnson, who’s accused of running a $350 million software scheme, allegedly sent software to consumers for a supposedly risk-free trial but billed them anyway. Jeremy Johnson was arrested at a Phoenix airport in 2011, carrying more than $26,000 in cash and a one-way plane ticket to Costa Rica.
Johnson told The Salt Lake Tribune over the weekend that he believed Reid would intervene in the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) investigation into his business. In addition, Johnson claims that a John Swallow, who was recently sworn in as Utah attorney general, orchestrated an agreement in 2010 to pay $600,000 to someone connected to Harry Reid. Johnson has since tried to get his money back and he’s not certain that Harry Reid, or anyone in his office, actually received the money.
Johnson had planned to plead guilty Friday to bank fraud and money-laundering charges regarding his business practices if prosecutors would not go after other friends and family, including John Swallow. According to the Associated Press , John Swallow has denied any involvement in this scheme related to Harry Reid and that he only tried to connect Johnson to lobbyists who would attempt to influence the FTC:
“Any suggestion by Mr. Johnson that I have been involved in illegal or inappropriate activity regarding his FTC case or any other matter is false and defamatory.”
According to The Salt Lake Tribune , a spokeswoman for Harry Reid’s office, Kristen Orthman, denied any role in the scheme to bury the federal case:
“Senator Reid has no knowledge or involvement regarding Mr. Johnson’s case. These unsubstantiated allegations implying Senator Reid’s involvement are nothing more than innuendo and simply not true.”
Jeremy Johnson apparently has a habit of donating generously to political campaigns, which includes former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Harry Reid’s re-election campaign in July 2010. What do you think of this case as Harry Reid denies any role in the scheme to end the Federal investigation into the $350 million crime?
