Interesting development in Hardin, Montana
I had
blogged on October First about the unused Jail in Hardin, MT being taken over by a company whose president was a convicted felon.
Now it seems that the company is backing out of the deal.
From the Spokane, WA
Spokesman-Review:
Company run by ex-con drops Montana jail plan
An obscure California company run by an ex-convict with a history of fraud has dropped its effort to take over a beleaguered Montana jail, days after state officials launched an investigation and several key participants backed away from the proposal.
The project has been dogged by a series of damaging revelations about the company, American Police Force, ever since officials in the rural town of Hardin announced with great fanfare last month that they had secured a $2.6 million deal to fill the jail.
An Associated Press investigation of American Police Force, including the criminal background of its founder, cast serious doubts about the legitimacy of the company, and its jail management proposal quickly spiraled toward its death.
American Police Force had faced a Monday deadline from the Montana attorney general�s office to reveal its financial backers. A spokesman for Attorney General Steve Bullock said the demand for information was still pending.
Becky Shay, a spokeswoman for the company, said Friday the deal with Hardin had �gone sour� after media revelations about the founder, Michael Hilton. But she insisted the company�s intentions had been honest.
Dodged that one! What a strange way to operate a business...
Posted by DaveH at October 12, 2009 4:04 PM