The Amnesty Program

I had no idea that this Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) strategy was referred to as the "Amnesty Program" until I listened to Agent Rose testify during my trial. In reality, amnesty, as the term is defined, bears no similarities to the MBI version or the ideals behind the label. In Rose's testimony he claimed that I called the MBI, stated that I was "waving the white flag, wanted to come in to speak with him, and then never showed-up." Perhaps someone called him pretending to be me, because it sure was not me, or maybe he was dreaming (pipe dreams) as he did in his sworn affidavit for the arrest warrant. Or maybe he just enjoys swearing to lies. I do not pretend to know the answer.

Agent Potters from the book is actually Agent Peters. Agent Ross is actually Agent Rose.

From the book, Chapter Four, “The Amnesty Program” and Other Intimidation Strategies:

On an afternoon in early April of 1996, Agent Potters of the MBI called me screaming:

“WE DEMAND YOUR PRESENCE IN OUR OFFICE ASAP! WHEN CAN YOU BE HERE?”

“Do you have a warrant?” I asked.

“YOU’LL FIND OUT WHEN YOU GET HERE!” he yelled at the top of his lungs like a Marine drill sergeant.

“Well, I’ll have to arrange it with my attorney. He will call you back!”

“WHAT’S HIS NAME AND NUMBER?”

I gave him the information that he demanded, hung-up the phone, and called Joe. Now Joe had been my attorney for the years that I was in business. He said that I shouldn’t worry about it and that he would take care of it. The following day Joe called to inform me that he had left two messages at the MBI number and no one returned his call as of yet. He thought that I shouldn’t even think about it, and so I didn’t. It wasn’t that hard to forget the MBI.

It was not long before I heard the full story and found out what they wanted. They had simply gone through the phonebook, dialed everyone that had an ad, and screamed the same thing at them. The big “amnesty program” was the MBI offering not to arrest and prosecute the agency owner if he or she signed an agreement that the telephone lines would be immediately disconnected, they would never open an escort service in the State of Florida again, and they agreed to forfeit any and all tangible property that belonged to their business.

This was not presented to these agency owners in any normal manner, but instead as a vicious threat. One result was the suicide of a friend that owned an agency. Agent Rose threatened to lock him up for 10 years, and when he still refused to sign, the agent stated that he'd make sure his wife joined him and their children were taken by the state. My friend had lots of life insurance and made his choice.

And that was what the MBI referred to as the Amnesty Program.