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International Coverage of Brazil Child Sex Tourism Takes Off, 20 American Tourists Targeted by Brazilian Federal Police, Documents from Richard Schair's Criminal Past

Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:41 AM EDT
world-news, royal-order-of-jesters, child-sex-tourism, richard-schair, wet-a-line, larry-mackey, solomon-wisenberg
By Sandy Frost

Richard Schair being interviewed by FOX News Atlanta reporter Dale Russell. Photo courtesy of FOX News under Fair Use Doctrine.

Photo courtesy of rschair@schairinc.com

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Disclaimer: All are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The news about Richard Schair’s alleged involvement with child sex tourism in Brazil has spread around the world since “Allegations Link U.S. Companies to Brazilian Sex Tourism by Barry Meier,” was published by the New York Times on Friday, July 8, 2011.

Different articles in The Brisbane Times, CNBC, The Huffington Post and AOL Travel, show that other journalists are digging into the story.

The HuffPo article “Iriny Lopes, Brazil Women's Rights Minister, Calls For Amazon Sex Tour Investigation” reports that:

“RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazil is investigating allegations that an American fishing tour operator was using expeditions in the Amazon to cover up the sexual exploitation of underage indigenous girls, the country's minister for women's rights said Monday.

‘The country cannot stand idly by before allegations of this sort,’ Iriny Lopes told the Associated Press.

She said she was meeting with the minister for human rights, Maria do Rosario Nunes, and seeking information from investigators and prosecutors on the case to decide whether to establish a commission to look into the matter.”

The AOL article specifically links to “Brazil Prosecutes Schair & Co. for Running House of Prostitution” and reports that Schair’s customers included a group of Shriners.

This was first reported in “Jesters to Testify About Illegal Drugs, Prostitution?”

As a matter of memberships, one must first be a Master Mason before joining groups like the Scottish Rite, the Knights Templar and the Shriners. One must be secretly invited from the Shriners to join the Royal Order of Jesters. The Jesters are currently under investigation for human trafficking, prostitution and child sex tourism after three of them were caught by the FBI in a human trafficking sting taking an illegal alien sex slave from Buffalo, New York to a Jester party in Kentucky. These included a NY State Supreme Court Judge, his lawclerk and a retired Lockport police captain.

Brazil’s largest news outlet, Globo, reported yesterday (translation by Bing) that:

“The Minister of the Secretariat for women's policies, Iriny Lopes, decided on Monday proposing an agreement between the federal Government and the States of the Legal Amazon to combat sexual exploitation and enhance monitoring of fishing tourism companies in the region. The decision was taken Monday the Minister, after meeting with the Federal Police (PF) and the Prosecutor. The action was taken after the newspaper "The New York Times" report that the American company Wet-to-Line Tours, formally known as fishing tourism, tourist sex packets also sells on Amazon. The G1 tried to contact the company, and waits for response.

To organize the action, the Minister will talk to the Ministers Luiz Sérgio, fisheries, defence, Nelson Jobim, Antônio Patriot, of Foreign Affairs, José Eduardo Cardozo, justice, and Carlos Lupi, labour and the President of FUNAI (Indigenous Agency), Márcio Meira.

In an interview G1 to this Sunday, Iriny said that the priority is to monitor the process so that it is not stopped, as, according to the American newspaper, either the owner of the Wet-to-Line Tours.

For the Federal Public Ministry, the evidence is damning. The criminal action against the company Wet-to-Line, by American Richard Schair, runs in the 4th Vara Federal do Amazonas and is at the stage of service of the five denounced.”

The 24 Horas News has just published “PF investigates 20 Americans suspected of sex tourism” (translation by Bing) and reports that:

“The Federal Police (PF) in the Amazon will investigate more 20 Americans suspected of participating in sexual tourism scheme with indigenous children in the Amazon, on the pretext of sport fishing. An American and five Brazilians have already been denounced by suspicion.

In research, the PF had a list with other alleged American clients of travel agencies. She was on the computer of American Richard Schair, agent of the Wet-to-Line Tours, target of process in the United States on suspicion of sexual tourism exploitation in Brazil.

The Agency also is being processed in Brazil, as well as the Santana ecological tourism-Fishing Safaris, partner in organizing tours in Manaus.

According to PF, packages for fishing, which allegedly included sex tourism, cost $ 4,000 to

$5,000 ($ 6,300 to $ 7,900). The PF said that at least 15 girls were victims of rape and grooming.”

It has yet to be determined if these 20 customers includes 19 Jesters known to have gone on Wet-A-Line tours to Brazil. Fishing guides provided depositions to the Brazilian Federal Police and in the U.S., testifying that the Jesters returned year after year. They also gave pictures to the Brazilian federal police of “Masons” having sex with underage girls.

FOX News Atlanta ran a news report about this earlier today, featuring pictures of Jesters partying with Brazilian girls.

One correction to the FOX News story, typos included, concerns:

“Senior I-team reporter Dale Russell broke this story nearly two years ago and is he has the exclusive report.”

The Brazilian Sex Tourism story was first reported here on March 6, 2008, with six other articles published prior to FOX News broadcasting “Brazil Sex Tourism” on November 23, 2009.

Reporter Dale Russell interviewed a disheveled Richard Schair who proclaimed his innocence over and over, as if he’s above the law; as if he’s got inside connections.

Schair may very well have connections, vested in protecting him and/or keeping him from naming names. Documents filed with the Georgia Real Estate Commission in 1986 show how Schair, though a recently convicted felon, applied for and was granted a Georgia real estate license. One witness who wrote two letters of support and testified at his hearing was former federal prosecutor Larry Mackey, who convicted Schair for moving over three tons of marijuana and cocaine possession in the early ‘80s.

Documents submitted to the Georgia Real Estate Commission include two letters of support from Mackey, plea agreements, amendments to sentencing, a transcript of the entire hearing and the commission’s decision. The transcript tells how Schair was kept in solitary confinement after he turned drug informant. The transcript details how Schair was moved to city and county jails to gather information on other drug dealers in cases from Illinois to Arkansas and Florida. This is how he managed to serve three of a twenty year prison sentence.

Mackey is better known as the federal prosecutor who convicted Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh. He works today in the Indianapolis branch of Barnes & Thornberg LLP, the same firm as Schair’s current Federal White Collar Crime Defense attorney, Solomon Wisenberg.  

Both Mackey and Wisenberg have yet to return calls to answer questions about their client’s recent legal filing or explain why their client, who is under criminal investigation by a Grand Jury, is being prosecuted in Brazil and is being sued by four Brazilian girls for sex trafficking, is talking to the media.

All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From Copyright © 2011 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission. http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/

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  • Groups: Crimes Against Children, Indigenous Peoples News
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  • Public Discussion (18)
Sandy Frost

I wonder if the NYT article and international media attention is part of Schair's legal defense strategy?

And what kind of attorney would let their client talk to the media like this, unless there is a serious disconnect?

It appears that this story is exploding in Brazil, thanks to the NYT. I suspect that Brazilian reporters will find out very quickly who Schair's 20 North American fishing customers are. If these are the Jesters I first wrote about, investigators working with the Miami Grand Jury don't need to go far. Harry Howlett Waldron Impresario of Jester Court #90, lives near Jacksonville.

  • 3 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:46 AM EDT
larrrs

Nice to see ya Sandy and great Article.

I hope they get 'em all and hang 'em high.

  • 4 votes
Reply#2 - Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:57 AM EDT
Sandy Frost

Thanks larrrs!

Good to see you too!

One word I've not used to date is "Pedophilia" but the Brazilian papers are using it freely.

What do you think?

Thanks again,

Sandy

  • 1 vote
#2.1 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:41 AM EDT
larrrs

Call it like ya see it Sandy. As a matter of fact, I'd say they are human slave traders, and a pedophile ring. When they get 'em all, they can stick them on a deserted island to cannibalize and rape each other to their hearts content.

  • 2 votes
#2.2 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:17 AM EDT
Sandy Frost

Dear larrs,

I think you have come up with a creative solution! Then there's chemical castration?

Thanks,

Sandy

  • 1 vote
#2.3 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 11:25 AM EDT
Reply
samenslow

I totally object to sexual tourism.

Now, sexual tourism, including child sex tourism, is for many the only economic opportunity available to the victims. Until other economic activity is available and the necessary care/services available to enable these children to live without this source of income, are you sure you are doing the right thing fighting it - even though on the surface it seems the very good thing to do? The other choice for the children is starvation.

It is very easy to hold the high moral ground and be outraged by what is happening to the poor children, but are you prepared to pay and help change the enconomy and quality of life for these children to make the trade unnecessary? When morality and hunger are in conflict, hunger wins.

  • 1 vote
Reply#3 - Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:01 AM EDT
Lisafrequency

@samenslow-

You make a very good point.

Perhaps when the elite manages to kill off all the bad seed with food that has no nourishment and vaccines things will be better for humanity. Perhaps they will get that bad sexuality under control next time. Oh! Wait a minute it is mostly the elite taking advantage of the poor children.

  • 2 votes
#3.1 - Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:07 AM EDT
Sandy Frost

Maybe we should also consider the high levels of corruption that seem to have been holding this case back? This is a dirty little secret from deep in the Brazilian jungle where these addicts prey.

These Jesters take sexual pleasure with children, allegedly as young as twelve.

Saying the kids get money is like saying "Hey, at least the Native Americans could keep warm with their new blankets."

Sandy

  • 1 vote
#3.2 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:51 AM EDT
Reply
Mary-471639

As a matter of memberships, one must first be a Master Mason

I worked at a government facility, where most supervisory and mangement positions were held by Masons, women were a minority at this facility and sexual harrassment was viewed as a work benefit of theirs.

I know they do good work, but my personal experience with them was a nightmare for me.

  • 4 votes
Reply#4 - Wed Jul 13, 2011 6:40 AM EDT
Sandy Frost

Dear Mary-471639,

Thanks for your observations. I've found the same and call it "institutionalized misogny."

And to think these guys who need to pay for sex first swear to vows of brotherhood, love and harmony.

I never cease to be amazed by this sense of false entitlement and that of being above the law.

If one swears alleigance to a group and vows to protect one's brothers above all else, isn't that looking more and more like organized crime? I mean, what else is operating a nationwide network of prostitution and being investigated for human trafficking?

Little or no regard for women to include rape, one of the charges on which Richard Schair was indicted, brings heavy consequences, legal, judicial and/or otherwise. There seems to be a growing undercurrent of rage as people learn about this.

Thanks again,

Sandy

  • 1 vote
#4.1 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:57 AM EDT
Reply
Pattie in Maryland

Oh, brother. A judge, his lawclerk, a retired police captain, and an organization that bills itself as having a membership made up of "pillars of the community" and they're actually pedophiles!!!???!!! First it was Catholic priests, then it was fundamentalist Protestants, and now what. This is disgusting. Time to get these guys and put them behind bars away from our communities before they can do any more damage to children. It's great that all this dirt is coming out. You never know who you're living next to. The people who are working on this are wonderful. Bravo!

  • 5 votes
Reply#5 - Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:54 AM EDT
Sandy Frost

Dear Pattie in Maryland,

Thanks for your comments. Yes, there are some well connected guys in the Jesters who seem to do favors for each other. One guy has run hotels in Indiana that have hosted Jester parties. Another is the head of the sentencing commission in Louisiana.

I just wonder how far things will progress or if investigators will be waved off. One would think that after two years, a Grand Jury should be able to make some sort of decision.

The NYT article has put HUGE pressure on the Brazilian government. Their federal court system shows that documents are being filed. The Braziian news reported that 20 of Schair's customers are now under investigation. Now that we know about the Grand Jury and that U.S. investigators went to Brazil, it's time for the United States to take a stand against human trafficking and child sex tourism and follow this case, no matter where it leads.

Thanks again,

Sandy

  • 1 vote
#5.1 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:08 AM EDT
Reply
PinkRouge

Sick bunch of a-holes. Power falls in the wrong hands. These are men who hold high statuses in society, who enjoy paying to have sex with young, helpless children. If they have no morals, who knows what else they are doing. I feel sorry for their families.

  • 2 votes
Reply#6 - Fri Jul 15, 2011 4:54 AM EDT
Lisafrequency

And these are the people insisting that we raise the debt ceiling what does that tell ya?

  • 1 vote
#6.1 - Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:38 AM EDT
Sandy Frost

PinkRouge,

Perfect.

Don't forget the huge tax fraud being perpetuated upon us all; prostitution and human trafficking at tax payer expense.

Sandy

  • 1 vote
#6.2 - Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:09 AM EDT
Reply
samenslow

I hear a lot of condemning, but NO words asking, "How can I help these children?"

  • 1 vote
Reply#7 - Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:51 AM EDT
Lisafrequency

That is the hard part. The vulnerable always get hurt even with good intentions.

    #7.1 - Fri Jul 15, 2011 12:19 PM EDT
    samenslow

    As I posted above, good intentions can lead to unintentional harm. I remember watching a program on children living in subways in Romania and how they sold themselves in the sex trade. When I camera crews left (making I am sure good money), the kids were still there. I believe they were as, or more, exploited by the film production company than by their "johns'" The Johns at least let them have something to eat.

      #7.2 - Fri Jul 15, 2011 12:31 PM EDT
      Reply
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