Fugitive money manager bails out of plane to fake death

[depakid]

Source: Reuters

A pilot wanted on financial fraud charges parachuted out of his plane over Alabama and allowed the aircraft to crash in neighboring Florida in an apparent attempt to fake his death, sheriff's investigators said on Monday.

Authorities launched a manhunt for the pilot, who survived and checked into an Alabama hotel, and then fled, the Santa Rosa County, Florida, sheriff's office said. The pilot, identified as Marcus Schrenker, 38, was the only person aboard the plane that took off for Florida on Sunday from Anderson, Indiana.

Over Alabama, the pilot made a bogus emergency call, saying the plane's windshield had imploded and he was bleeding profusely. He then put the plane on autopilot and parachuted out, investigators said.

Military jets were scrambled to aid the plane, a Piper PA-46 Turbo Prop, and the military pilots noticed the Piper's door was open. They followed the empty plane to northwest Florida, where it crashed on Sunday night near the city of Milton, in a swampy area within a few hundred yards of some houses, said Sgt. Scott Haines of Santa Rosa County Sheriff's office.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/burningIssues/idUKTRE50C5ZE20090113

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That's a new twist on bailouts....

[Eric J in MN]

1. I hope he's also charged with reckless endangerment...

...for almost killing people with an empty plane.

[MADem]

2. Idiot. He should have just bailed out without calling. And he should have

arranged it better so that the plane would have ended up in the water, not on land.

What a tool. Not just a crook, a stupid crook.

[HopeHoops]

3. Me, me, me, me, me - how human of him. Jerk.

[DRoseDARs]

4. Sounds like someone needs to face attempted murder charges, too. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. He - took - off - for - Florida. Need I say more?

[lelgt60]

6. He should have stole 50 billion. Then he'd get a penthouse n/t

[NM Independent]

7. Now THAT is a DUzy

"That's a new twist on bailouts...."

:cry: I'll miss 'em. Thanks JeffR.