Meet the mysterious Roger Von Bergendorff

[Leo 9]

Meet the mysterious Roger Von Bergendorff

He filed for bankruptcy, had a history of health problems and kept a vial of ricin

?
Roger Von Bergendorff’s signature on his bankruptcy filing documents is as enigmatic as his life story — and the reasons for his possessing a lethal poison.

By Abigail Goldman

Wed, Mar 5, 2008 (2 a.m.)

He had some clothes, some cash and some vintage graphic art — and some $190,000 in debts.

Roger Von Bergendorff’s 2000 bankruptcy filing speaks of the man who lies silent in his hospital suite, comatose and in critical condition days after ricin was discovered in his Las Vegas motel room.

It lends credence, for example, to the otherwise counterintuitive statements Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie made Monday: Exposure to the deadly toxin might not be the reason Von Bergendorff is in the hospital.

It turns out Von Bergendorff has a history of medical problems, recounted in dollars and doctors’ visits detailed in the bankruptcy filing. He racked up debts for medical services he couldn’t afford: $1,730 at a Southern California cardiologist’s office; $3,800 at the Alvarado Community Hospital in Orange, Calif.; $375 worth of various work and X-ray services; and $62,890 owed to Sharp Health Care of San Diego, a group of hospitals and medical groups, for services unknown. Hospitals won’t reveal specifics about treatment.

The court documents don’t either, but they do reveal other aspects of his life.

snip

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/mar/05/meet-mysterious-roger-von-bergendorff/

[FormerOstrich]

1. This case has bugged me

from the get-go. The linked article is from March 5th....he has regained consciousness (if you can believe what you read)....The latest information I have been able to find is from this article: RicinMystery

Most of the article is about one of the cops testing positive for a derivative of ricin....all very odd. They point out the cop may have the trace amounts in the system because of cosmetics or paint (paraphrased).

The interesting part is like a footnote to the article:

Bergendorff, 57, an unemployed graphic artist, summoned an ambulance Feb. 14, complaining of respiratory distress. He spent almost four weeks in a coma and has been treated for kidney failure. He remained in fair condition Thursday at a Las Vegas hospital.

Bergendorff told his younger brother he believed he had been exposed to the ricin powder. But he also told family members he had no intention of hurting anyone, and that he had the deadly poison for "self-defense."

Authorities have refused to say whether they plan to charge Bergendorff with state or federal crimes.

Ricin is categorized as a biological agent under a federal law that provides for the possibility of life in prison and fines for production, acquisition or possession of it.

Self Defense!!!!!!! Who is he defending himself from that requires ricin!?! Why are they mum on the charges????? All so curious!!!

[FormerOstrich]

2. I am kicking this...

because I think it is kind of creepy how it has just disappeared in general...so I'd like to keep it alive if only a little.