European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday november 29, 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 5firm, postal employees guilty of fraud Miami up two postal employees and a nationwide pen and Pencil Man facture have agreed to enter guilty Leas for their part in a $7.5 million mail Raud scheme Federal authorities said tuesday. # it a this is the largest Case of its kind for he postal service in its history a . At Orney Dexter Lehtinen told a news conference. Since 1981, Atlas pen amp Pencil corp., a Hollywood fla., firm that makes pens pencils Golf tees and other items on hich names or customized messages Are printed has mailed its goods in bulk for bout half of the required postage said Obert Grudek inspector in charge of the Ostal services Miami division. Lehtinen said the two postal workers allowed Atlas to mail As Many As 2 million pieces of mail a month at the Cut rate prices. In return the postal workers received payments ranging from $100 to $400 a month he said. The two accepted a total of Over $100,000 from Atlas and other companies which they have agreed to turn Over to the . Government Grudek said. Richard Waesco a 15-year postal service worker and Ronnie Ragins a 12-year Post office employee were charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the . Postal service and one count of bribery for accepting Cash in return for permitting the underpayment. Both worked at the Hollywood postal Branch. Each faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 Fine. Both have agreed to plead guilty Lehtinen said. Atlas a family owned company and its vice president and director Robert Schneider were each charged with conspiracy to defraud. Lehtinen said Atlas has agreed to pay Back the $7.5 million in Back postage but could be fined an additional $15 million. Schneider faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Schneider expressed Surprise tuesday that the details of the charges had been revealed As did his attorney David Bogenschutz of Hollywood. Grudek said investigators were not sure who initiated the fraud scheme but Waesco and Ragins also accepted about $8,500 in Cash Between april 1986 and june 1990 from another bulk Mailer Daniel Hyde of a amp a Hyde for not requiring payment of $ 18,552 in postage due. Hyde who has already paid Back the postage faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 Fine. Ragins also reportedly accepted $7,000 from Larry Van Dusseldorf an employee of Van Dee mailing services Between March and april 1990 for not requiring payment of $17,000 in postage. Dusseldorf also faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a Fine of up to $250,000. Grudek said the six month investigation is continuing into the activities of three other companies in the Broward county area who also mail in  approves $135 million for Eastern airlines new York apr a Federal bankruptcy judge tuesday granted Eastern airlines a lifesaving $135 million infusion to keep it flying through Winter and avoid repeated requests for Money that have sapped Public Confidence in the Carrier. . Bankruptcy judge Burton r. Lifland said he approved the emergency request from Eastern a escrow fund in part because of government statements that chaos could occur if Eastern closes Down during the Holiday season. Eastern said it sought the Money because bad publicity had worsened its financial Outlook spooked potential passengers and made credit card companies nervous about doing business with the Carrier. A committee of unsecured creditors had asked the judge to liquidate Eastern rather than allow its court appointed trustee to keep tapping into the escrow fund. In the latest Grant Lifland gave Eastern $120 million and placed $15 million in a contingency fund to be used if creditors demand the airline put up Cash deposits before customers do business with it. The Money is intended to keep Eastern alive through March avoiding the need for repeated requests for additional Money. Miami based Eastern one of the Industry a oldest and most troubled airlines filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy Protection and reorganization March 9, 1989, after unions crippled the airline with a strike. Finally extinguished a special team of firefighters from Williams boots and Coots of port Neches Texas helps extinguish fires in the Jet fuel storage tanks at Denver a Stapleton air port tuesday. It took firefighters 53 hours to put out the Blaze that destroyed More than 2 million Gallons of Jet fuel belonging to United airlines. Federal official says senator offered him Deal for Keating Washington a a former top Federal regulator testified tuesday that sen. Dennis Deconcini improperly offered him a Deal on behalf of savings and loan owner Charles h. Keating jr., and that three other a Keating five senators acquiesced in the proposal. Edwin j. Gray a Star witness at the Senate ethics committees hearings into the five senators relationships with Keating said Deconcini a offer at a 1987 meeting will be a etched in my mind  a i considered it improper a he declared. A the whole setting was an intimidating  a # he said Deconcini apparently speaking for the other three senators As Well asked that regulators not apply to Keatings embattled Lincoln savings and loan association a Rule limiting risky investments. Deconcini referred to Keating during the meeting As a your Friend from Lincoln a said Gray the former chairman of the Federal Home loan Bank Board. None of the five senators was present for the testimony in a packed Senate hearing room. Keating was the chairman of the now Deconcini Keating failed Lincoln a amp a when the evening meeting took place in Deconcini s office on april 2,1987. The committee is trying to decide whether the five senators intervened improperly for Keating a political donor who along with associates contributed $1 million to the senators campaigns and causes. Gray was expected to face stiff Cross examination from attorneys for Deconcini a Ariz. John Mccain a Ariz. Donald w. Riegle jr., a Mich. John Glenn a Ohio and Alan Cranston a Calil. All the senators except Riegle attended the meeting with Gray and All have denied that a Deal was offered for Lincoln a which was in deep trouble with Gray a regulators. Gray testified Deconcini asked that the sky investment Rule not be applied to Lincoln and added a if you do that Well get our Friend from Lincoln to make More Home  a i said we had gone through the administrative processes and in a not going to do that a Gray testified. A the said they were there for their Friend at  Gray said a we did not succumb to that pressure and the risky investment Rule was not withdrawn. A nothing was seeded up. Nothing was slowed Down in the Lincoln investigation As a result of the senators intervention he said. Gray testified he did not protest to the senators after the alleged Deal was offered because he feared they would not Back legislation to provide Money raising authority for the hard pressed Federal savings and loan insurance fund. Gray was responsible for the fund As chairman of the Federal Home loan Bank Board.artds>61 Lime in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Nov. 29,1950 some 200,000 chinese communists swarmed Over North Korea threatening to trap the . Forces in an offensive which Gen. Douglas Macarthur termed the Start of an a entirely new war.�?�30 years ago today. Nov. 29,1960 a the big three Western Powers sent separate communications to . Secretary general Dag Hammarskjold blaming the soviet Union for the division of germany.20 years ago today. Nov. 29, 1970 the Pilot of a Vietnam bound jetliner apparently was trying to halt his Takeoff when the dc-8 nosed roughly Back onto an icy alaskan runway was hit by a series of explosions then crashed and burned. At least 48 aboard were killed and at least three others injured.7 0 years ago today. Nov. 29,1980 a despite an attempt by some department of defense personnel to save the Benefit Cost of living allowances for single or unaccompanied service Mem ers living in the Barracks was axed