The final total after taxes was a check in the amount of $750,000,000 - Seven Hundred Fifty Million Dollars! Before the gigantic gold mining deal, his net worth was $11,953,243,76 (million dollars) after spending $1,221,000 (million dollars) he was left with a hefty $10,732,000 (million dollars). With the $750,000,000 (million dollars) his vast net worth was now a staggering Seven Hundred Sixty Million Seven Hundred Thirty Two Thousand Dollars!
He now had so much money that just the interest alone was so staggering that it could provide the needy with shelters, and he could build a school, police station, fire station, library. - even a hospital and nursing homes.
The church was in desperate need of a new roof, and to the surprise of the congregation, Richard contracted for a new church to be built complete with kitchen to serve meals, and included a 250 student state of the art school all at a cost of $4,000,000 (million dollars).
It was brought to Richard’s attention that the church was attempting to purchase a piece of adjoining land for future construction. The owners of the land refused to entertain the church offer of one million dollars, (with payments over a specified period of time) and were about to build a dog track.
With the pastor opposed to the idea of a race track and gambling in such a close proximity to his church Cindy informed Richard of the plan, who promptly contacted his attorney with an offer of $3,000,000 (million dollars). Problem solved! In addition, to the new church and school, he also presented the church with a $2,500,000 (million dollars) endowment.
There was a method to his philanthropy. Deep within his heart, he realized that the day may came when he could face arrest for his brothers past crimes. If however, he were to give it away no one could touch the proceeds.
He spent another $3,000,000 (million dollars) on a fire station, purchased two state of the art Maxim pumper trucks at a cost of $800,000 each and rescue vehicles for another $500,000.
With another $120,000,000 (million dollars) he built a badly needed hospital and hired the most prestigious physicians in the country. Since childhood, he wanted to be a hotel owner. With the hospital’s need to accommodate the parents, he constructed a Hampton Inn as part of his benevolent plan.
This hospital was primarily for children with cancer and no one was ever turned away for lack of money. Not only did this facility serve the residents of Pacific Grove, but to all who entered, their entire treatment was paid for through his generous endowment of an additional $50,000,000 (million dollars).
The town was in need of police cruisers and he purchased 5 vehicles to be housed in the town’s new $5,000,000 (million dollars) safety headquarters. Richard already spent $177,100,000 (million dollars) and it was only in the first three months! The town of Pacific Gove recently lost $10,000,000 (million dollars) in state funding and Richard stepped up and gifted the shortfall. Now, with $187,100,000 (million dollars) donated to civic projects and the church, he concentrated on gifting most of the of his remaining $565,132,000 (million dollars) to charity. He worked without delay to disperse all the money before authorities caught up with him. He never knew when the other shoe would drop.
One night while at home, Richard came up with a plan to further distribute his good luck to the less fortunate. He asked the pastor if on Sunday an announcement could be made which would better the lives of the faithful. Pastor greeted the congregation and began the plan of action on the progress of the new church and school.
Not one to take pleasure in public praise, Richard seated in the rear of the church didn’t like the fuss made over his generosity. As far as he was concerned, he was blessed with all the money he would ever need to lead a comfortable lifestyle - however short that may be. He wanted to make the lives of the members of the church just that much easier.
Pastor Collins began by telling the congregation due to the generosity of Mr. Rand, effective at midnight the previous night, every church member would have their credit card debt paid in full. The congregation exploded into a standing ovation. Most people attending worship were aware of Richard’s generosity and many if not most were financially strapped.
A number of families were supporting one or two kids in college, and bank officials had the option of executing the procedure to foreclose on their homes.
“In an additional act of compassion, Mr. Rand is offering to pay off your existing auto loan, and if you do not have a loan and are in need of a vehicle, a gift of a new car or truck is about to happen.” again, the congregation amazed and stunned could only sob with delight of the news.
“There’s more…Your college tuition is to be paid in full.” the pastor announced.
Pastor Collins continued to speak. “Mr. Rand is aware of, and sensitive to the financial affairs of which many in our congregation are faced. As a result of the closing of the Alpha Tuna Processing plant and re-locating to Malaysia you are not capable of making your mortgage, auto or college tuition payments. I am here today to disclose that through the kindness of Mr. Rand, in addition to your credit card debt paid in full, your mortgage will also been paid in full.”
The congregation was astounded! Wives turned to their husbands sobbing with disbelief at the news. God has truly sent them an angel. They could now get on with their lives and keep their homes.
With a congregation of 250 families, and many now out of a job, the bank held the mortgages on 90% of the unemployed. The small (three branch) independent bank relied on 235 homes from which they received operating capital - interest on these financed homes in order to keep afloat.
On one hand, the bank’s balance sheet had to show a profit in order to stay in business, and on the other, it did have the option to delay foreclosure usually until the homeowner was able to find gainful employment - as a matter of course up to 24 months before a sheriff served eviction papers to the delinquent property owner. Richard’s discussions with the bank on behalf of the owners in default were pointless. His attempt to hold off the foreclosure process for another 90 days met with harsh resistance from the bank president. The foreclosure of 27 homes was to begin in 7 days!
With approximately $5,000,000 (million dollars) in liquid cash on deposit at the bank and a net worth in excess of three quarters of a billion dollars sensibly and wisely invested, Richard could not influence the bank to work with the homeowners in an effort to extend the foreclosure process.
As a result of the bank’s negative attitude, Richard carried out his plan informing the bank he would remove all of his cash and place it into a competing bank, a decision which infuriated the officials already living in a lavishly chosen lifestyle in no small part due to Mr. Rand’s enormous amount of cash on deposit.
Next, he successfully transferred his money to one of the largest banks in the country with 3,500 branches, then walked into the local bank with each family, approximately 20 owners at a time demanding a payoff balance - one after the other after the other until all 235 homes were free and clear. The bank filed for bankruptcy protection shortly thereafter! In paying off the mortgages Richard pumped $35,000,000 (million dollars) a short term shot in the arm into the bank but it in spite of everything the feds foreclosed on the bank!
As generous as Richard was, he was unforgiving when the bank pleaded with him not to destroy their survival. Once all 235 homeowners had their paid mortgage in hand, he planned a huge party for the community and that night everyone enjoyed the bonfire of mortgages as they were fuel for the fire…This act of compassion was outside the normal area of activity but he was about to make the people of Pacific Grove even happier!
The news was dreamlike. People who didn’t even know Richard Rand were the recipient of his generosity. The congregation numbered approximately 300 people affected by tuna processing plant closing. In a move to avoid further taxes, the company was exempt from taxes in relocating to Malaysia. Thus, came the moving of the plant where blue and yellow fin tuna could now be produced at an hourly cost of $.75 as opposed to the U.S. rate of $12
.00 per hour. It was a mockery! It wasn’t just to save on taxes which was the mantra of the owners, but the staggering amount of profit. Then in a greedy move, the 6 oz can of tuna was reduced to 5 ounces and an additional 3.5% water was added to the mix.
Finally, the pastor closed with an enormous conclusion: Everyone would receive a check in the amount of $50,000 to assist with their living expenses. The total of the benefits offered to the 300 in attendance was between $11,500,000 (million dollars) and $15,000,000 (million dollars).
Even with the generous millions of dollars paid to, and on behalf of the congregation: education, automobiles, credit cards, one year’s salary and the gigantic payoff of 235 mortgages, there was still $515,132,000 (in excess of half a billion dollars) in the Rand estate. He made the lives of the less fortunate comfortable. He wasted little time in dispensing the cash. Time was of the essence! He had to disperse the money quickly but legally. Mortgages, credit cards, new automobiles and pickup trucks, college tuition and cash disbursements were managed and carried out within several weeks.
* * *
Officer Ryan Wagner an Iraqi war veteran served with a Marine unit in Fallugah. He drove fuel trucks from the major U.S. supply depot to the troops stationed throughout Iraq. He barely avoided being a casualty when the lead fuel truck in his convoy struck an IED explosive device. The force of the explosion shredded the tanker instantly killing the driver and his gunner. It is a mental picture that he would forever cope.
Driving a fuel truck carrying 9,000 gallons of explosive liquid was always a target and he too suffered from PTSD. He lost many friends when their vehicles drove into an explosive device. Wagner’s fear was that he would lose an arm or maybe both. He was never in fear of losing a leg. With missing legs he could always adjust life to the newer prosthetic devices. He finally returned stateside after an 18 month tour and decided on a career in law enforcement. The G.I. Bill paid for his college tuition and his interest was in criminal behavior. He was, for the time being hired by the Pacific Grove Police Department. Ryan Wagner was a first-rate cop. He was not the typical aggressive type of person to pull an offending driver through the vent window.
Level headed and 27 years old he could easily be elected as the Sheriff one day. He was cool under pressure, and a cop with feeling. When his watch commander issued an order for the officers to write their quota of speeding tickets, he was always the officer with the least citations. Ryan did write the greater total of warnings with which his superiors were not always be in agreement.
Richard returned home once again to find a Pacific Grove police cruiser parked in his driveway. Again panic and fear began to destroy his self-assurance. He did have something to hide! Now that Richmond sent a letter explaining the murder, what if authorities discovered the crimes and Officer Wagner was about to arrest Richard for concealing information. The same menacing horror devastated him one more time. He sensed he was always slightly one step in front of the law and one day his brother’s past would in the end do him in.
The officer waited for Richard to park before exiting the cruiser. As the men approached one another, Richard recognized the dismal look on the officer’s face Did he finally reached that point where he was going to be detained?
“Richard! I have bad news!” the officer said.
In an instant his life flashed before him. Had the time arrived for him to come clean with his brother’s behavior? He was moments away from disclosing the letter from Argentina when Officer Ryan Wagner spoke:
“Richard, no one but Pastor Collins and I know!” the sheriff said looking directly into his eyes.
Now ashen - his next step was to place his hands and wrists in the cop’s direction in anticipation of the hand cuffs.
All he could do was stare back at the officer. This was the end! Time come to pay for the sins of the brother.
“I don’t want to do this but there’s no choice.” the sheriff said with regret.
“Cindy was killed in an automobile accident several hours ago. I know you were developing a relationship with her and I am offering my sympathy and sadness for your loss. Her father has asked that I notify you personally and has requested to see you as soon as possible. I’ll take you in my cruiser if you would like.”
The torture and real reason for which officer Wagner approached was now surpassed by grief for Pastor Collins. Cindy and Richard were dear friends and began to take on a romantic atmosphere. The young lady, only 33 years old was finally falling in love. Her desire was to have a wonderful husband and bear children. Richard, was also receiving great pleasure in their relationship, but he didn’t want to entrust his heart to Cindy for fear one day she would learn the truth about his past.
The officer and Richard drove to the Collins home. Mrs. Collins passed away five years earlier from ovarian cancer. The church community was grief stricken at her premature death and Cindy assumed the duties of wife and daughter for her grief-stricken father.
When they arrived, friends and neighbors were comforting the pastor. Brokenhearted again for the second time in 5 years. no amount of comfort could ease the ache deep within the pastor’s heart. He was a man whose faith carried him through the loss of his wife, and now the same blessing from God that he would have strength to carry on with the untimely loss of Cindy.
They remained with the pastor for almost two hours when Pastor Collins’ daughter Jennifer arrived to comfort her father. She too was completely grief stricken but to show her father a level of self control.
With funeral plans incomplete, Richard offered financial assistance. The pastor’s salary was less than he would have earned as a professor of religious studies at one of the local universities, but his love of God, the church, and its people called him to this special holy and sacred life. Before he left the pastor and his daughter, Richard offered to pay for the funeral, and insisted that whatever the family was in need of, he would provide. He produced a check book, signed 20 checks and handed them to Jennifer. “Remember whatever you need!” he said reassuringly.
Officer Wagner and Richard faded away down the driveway. Wagner was beginning to make friends with the young billionaire. Not because he wanted to cash in on the wealth, but because the two men could relate to each other. When the cruiser arrived at the small farmhouse, Richard, who been looking for a close friend sensed that he could trust the young cop. His attitude was: if he were arrested, he would want it to be by someone who would not demoralize him and allow him a sense of dignity.
* * *
The undermanned police department In Ogunquit requested assistance from the Maine state police. Until the wheels of progress and town council had the opportunity to hire additional officers, the state police were only too happy to assist in the investigation.
Another visit to Hank Gambler. This time they were geared up to implicate the boat operator in the participation and disappearance of the Whitmore brothers. Investigating cops come in a variety of purpose. Some are unrestricted in their approach - especially when compelled to do so by the sheer volume of crime. Now that Ogunquit was a thriving city of no less than 25,000 gamblers and patrons per night, there was a rapid invasion of crime and veteran cops often used strong arm tactics to get a conviction. They to apply the element of surprise. They didn’t want to lose their key suspect - and arrived without warning.
Throughout the country there are a number of police officers and departments on the wrong side of the law. Widespread graft and corruption are out of control. Intimidation is often employed to shake down a suspect. There are incidents where lying and fabrication or tampering of evidence is used to convict an innocent victim.
The police chief in Ogunquit was not about to enter into any contentious acts of inappropriate behavior. For years, this small seaside community with its very small police force was well respected for its professionalism and respect for its citizens. However, when requesting assistance from a
n outside agency, this is where the lack of respect and improper methods originate.
Ex-con’s are most at risk and when the threat of jail hangs over them they come clean. The reason for their interest in Gambler was not only that he was an x-con, but casino surveillance tapes established he and Richmond were sitting at a Black Jack table talking to each other.
It didn’t matter whether the suspect ever knew the victims or was a thousand miles away. Intimidation would bring answers into play! The fact Gambler was an x-con gave police reason to intimidate, and Gambler knew they could send him back to jail for something as minor as a broken beacon on his boat. When police arrived, Gambler was sitting on the deck with a newspaper and cup of coffee.
“Mr. Gambler, what we need here is your straightforward truth! Two bodies are missing and there is no option for error. We have reason to believe you are involved in the disappearance!” the detective said, showing them a photo of the brothers.
“You are mixed up in this and we can prove it!”
“Are you accusing me of complicity or are you just harassing me?” Because if you have no search warrant or cause to detain or charge me - then I suggest you make an about face and get off my boat!“ Gambler boldly requested of the cops.