Virginia's "Bourbon scandal" sentencing. Interesting.

[underpants]

I’ve seen mention of these random distributions and alerts from Facebook friends.
High end bourbons are available here and there with an alert list by email I think.
This guy had access to non public information.

Virginia ABC employee pleads guilty for felony computer trespass in bourbon scandal


https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/virginia-abc-employee-pleads-guilty-for-felony-computer-trespass-in-bourbon-scandal/article_168eb646-98ec-5ca5-bac6-3ce8aa62f988.html

?resize=1200%2C840

In front of Hanover County Circuit Court Judge John Overton Harris on Monday, Edgar Smith Garcia, 28, of Manassas pleaded guilty to computer trespass. He was sentenced to two years in prison, which were suspended for five years on the condition of good behavior, according to Virginia ABC. ($600 fine).

Earlier this year, conspiracy theories about an employee selling insider information was flying among whiskey enthusiasts, and Virginia ABC pulled allocated bourbon from its shelves. In April, Virginia ABC rolled out a new “randomized” way to purchase in-demand allocated bourbon.

Garcia was a lead sales associate from Feb. 14, 2020, through March 25, 2022. The charges were based on allegations that Garcia, as an ABC employee, had access to an internal list of the agency’s allocated liquor products that was not available to the public. Garcia then provided the information to Robert William Adams, 45, of Newport News, who had a private Facebook page, and Adams would release the information to his subscribers who would pay him $300 each for access.


The goal was to make the products as accessible as possible and correct a system where bourbon hunters or whiskey enthusiasts were camping outside Virginia ABC stores when they thought or caught wind that a shipment of allocated whiskey was coming in.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Big article in the WaPo this morning too.

Prosecutors allege an inside job. The target? Rare bourbon.

[underpants]

2. As much as I like bourbon, getting in a fight in a strip mall parking lot should be a flag

I’m guessing the store was in a strip mall. This reminds me of the tulip boom/bust of a few centuries ago.

[dalton99a]

3. +1

https://archive.ph/2KVP1

The investigation concluded Adams learned that Garcia was an employee at the ABC, Stock said. As a retail specialist making $16.53 an hour, Stock said, Garcia had access to the internal list guiding the distribution of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength, Old Fitzgerald 17-year Bottled in Bond, WhistlePig 18-year Double Malt Rye and other sought-after bottles.

“They said, ‘Why don’t we make a little money on the side,’ ” Stock alleged in an interview.

Stock said during Monday’s hearing that Adams paid Garcia $600 for access to the list and promised him bottles of alcohol.

Stock said he found 25 members who joined the group, but Adams claimed to have 96, who were paying $400 each for access to the list at one point just months after the enterprise launched, according to a screenshot of a social media post by Adams obtained by The Post. If accurate, that would add up to nearly $40,000.

[RainCaster]

4. I remember when 22 ammo was bought in similar fashion

I remember people waiting outside Walmart & other gun shops to see if any ammo came in last night. If so, the shelves would empty in minutes. Thus is the same thing, but with booze. BFD