Free Republic

A Hollywood producer has agreed to plead guilty to income tax evasion and conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with an alleged scam that bilked millions of dollars from people who thought they were investing in a television series about the Department of Homeland Security, according to a report published Tuesday. Joseph Medawar, 44, faces up to 10 years in prison and $9 million in fines under the plea agreement, which is set to come before a federal judge on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing federal court documents filed Monday. He also would pay $3.4 million in...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Minnesota actress was arrested Friday on charges that she lied to cover up a scam to con more than 70 people into investing $5.5 million into a television series about the Department of Homeland Security, federal authorities said. Alison Ann Heruth, 41, of Oakdale, Minn., was named in a revised indictment that in October accused Hollywood producer Joseph Medawar of falsely telling investors that President George W. Bush endorsed "DHS: The Series." Prosecutors allege that from May 2003 through September 2005, Medawar falsely told investors that his production company, Steeple Entertainment, was about to sell...