AMERIDEBT TRIAL
January 3, 2006
The founder of AmeriDebt, a shuttered debt-management firm based in Germantown, Md., faces a civil trial next week on whether he misused the organization’s tax-exempt status, reports The Washington Post. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Andris Pukke earned more than $80-million through the organization, which he spent on extravagant cars, vacations, and homes in Maryland, Florida, and California. Mr. Pukke’s estranged wife and co-defendant, Pamela, settled with the FTC last week, raising speculation that Mr. Pukke would also settle. Mr. Pukke has said in legal filings that had no knowledge of fraud or other illegal activities.
