Thursday, May 16, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
In one of the largest telemarketing busts in recent Las Vegas history, admitted swindlers have agreed to help the government convict their former boss and co-workers.
Five of the seven telephone salesmen and women who recently pleaded guilty to various counts of fraud will likely testify against Thadow Inc., a local firm that raised money for a religious charity.
But the owner of the telemarketing firm argues that the seven employees who pleaded guilty to preying on people's goodwill were rogue workers.
Alex Norman's lawyer called it a "shame" that the government forced Thadow Inc.'s closure.
"You had a young African-American man trying to make a success for himself," attorney David Chesnoff said Wednesday. "A lot of inner-city kids in Las Vegas were aided by the company, lots through the charity."
Norman, Lynn Deckard, Richard Franco, all from Las Vegas, and Weldon Long of Colorado maintain they are innocent. Trial is set for September.
While only one of the seven admittedly guilty salesmen has been sentenced, details revealed in his plea memorandum give a hint as to the type of testimony others could provide.
Lead salesman, Stuart Finfer, admitted to conning a 71-year-old Massachusetts man out of $147,000 over a few months.
Based on the belief that he was being asked to donate money to build a church, Lorenzo Pitts of Dorchester gave money.
Finfer said a wing in the church would be named after the elderly man and that he would receive a $3 million award.
But all the gentleman received was a "plaque, a ham and a pie," according to the plea memorandum.
Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Lloyd George sentenced Finfer to just more than four years in prison for cheating hundreds of elderly people out of more than $1 million. He also must pay almost $165,000 in restitution.
The government said it can prove that all of the indicted Thadow employees would call elderly people or former victims of telemarketing fraud and ask for donations to the New Faith Foundation.
The foundation, a Nevada corporation with a Clark County business license, allegedly donated a small percentage of its sales to legitimate charities.
In return for the donation, the defendants are accused of promising the giver a large cash award worth substantially more than the gift. In reality, the government said, the gift was worth 10 percent of what was donated.
The government's allegations could be stronger with the assistance of five of the phone salesmen and women: Kris Hampton, Ismael Banks, Larry Hampton, Patricia Allen and Youlandah Cundiff. Finfer is not a potential government witness.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Collette Rausch said she may call on them to testify against Norman and others, and in return, would recommend lighter punishment.
Others who have pleaded guilty are Sadie Cassell and Patricia Shaw.
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