Financial Insanity (not just embezzlement)

[SouthEastSleuth]

"In court, Abaroa said he used the cash from the shoe sales for car repairs and paying bills."


You know, we've discussed a lot about that fact that Raven was having financial difficulties, etc... but the more I think about it, I wonder just how stressed the finances actually were...

We know Raven was stealing from Eurosport, and then selling stolen merchandise on eBay. We know this was going on even into December 2004. During the time, until January 2005, Raven was still employed at ES, drawing a salary, etc. Janet was also working full time at ES as well, drawing a salary.

Raven was supplementing his ES salary with dirty money from his eBay sales.

We now know that Raven still had stolen inventory on hand - presumably to be sold at some point in time.

Remember, Raven's eBay user name changed from futbalrguy to lostmyjobsales AFTER he was fired from ES! Which leads me to believe that "Raven's eBay Soccer Shop" was still up and operating, at least for awhile (as is also evidenced by his on hand inventory!)

I have no confirmation of this, but I heard that the Ducati was in fact sold... We know it was listed for sale in February as I recall. If it sold, presumably he made at least several thousand dollars on the sale I would guess.

So even after being fired from ES:

-Raven could have had money from eBay sales still coming in
-Money from the Ducati sale
-Possibly money from a any 401(k) type accounts at ES (perhaps the mysterious Matrix Capital check?)
-We've heard that Raven had actually started another job of some sort prior to Janet's murder
-We know Janet had started working at Martin Marietta
-We know Raven still had stolen inventory in his possession
-We know something(s) had been pawned for cash

*Presumably, utilities, etc., were being paid and maintained.
*Presumably, from what we know anyway, there is no evidence of being behind in car payments.
*We can easily infer that internet service was on-going.
*Cell phones seem to have been on-going.
*We know for a fact that the property taxes on Janet's car were paid during this time.

All of this in the three or so months prior to the end of April.

Yet, the landlord has to let the rent slide for a couple of months?
Yet, the church helps out with rent for a month?

Sure, we know clearly by now that Raven led an exorbitant lifestyle, etc. So surely there were all sorts of bills, debt, etc. Possibly living on credit most of the time even?

But, if he could not even pay his rent? WHERE WAS THE CASH ON HAND GOING?

Still spending haphazardly on toys and other frivolous things? Maybe
Just keeping up with credit card payments? Maybe

But if you are in dire financial straights, wouldn't basic common sense say to you that one thing that is critically important to pay is housing, ie., RENT?

While I do think times might have been tough financially, and certainly not what they were in the preceding fall, I do think there was money around - there almost had to be - on some level or another....

My guess is - whatever money was still around and/or coming in, was being BLOWN. Raven had an image to protect and uphold, and my feeling is, he'd do that at whatever cost possible - even to the extent of using his church for assistance!

 

[golfmom]

He is the author of his own misery. The man has absolutely no self-control or discipline.

 

[nanandjim]

They would have never qualified for those programs with all of the stuff they have. Cars alone would put them over the edge on qualifying, not to mention that they were both employed.

I have family members who know how to beat the system. I think that it is absolutely disgusting. They work at jobs where they are mainly paid in cash. Most of their assets are in the mother-in-law's name. They take several all-inclusive trips a year, buy new cars, have a boat, are on welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, whatever is offered for a free ride. They live in a big house which has an in-ground swimming pool.

As a matter of fact, my brother-in-law just ran up all of his credit cards to the max. He got veneers on all of his teeth and paid in advance for his son's education. He hasn't worked in months. THEN, he filed for bankruptcy. He is proud of this fact.

I am assuming this guy had his credit cards maxed to the limit. If you are paying for all of the material things that you have, you don't really own them.

 

[juliagoulia]

Also, the fact that Raven didn't own their cars would make them more likely to receive public assistance. You can't be eligible for welfare if you own expensive vehicles, but you can if you are paying on them! It is illogical on so many levels...

I have family members who know how to beat the system. I think that it is absolutely disgusting. They work at jobs where they are mainly paid in cash. Most of their assets are in the mother-in-law's name. They take several all-inclusive trips a year, buy new cars, have a boat, are on welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, whatever is offered for a free ride. They live in a big house which has an in-ground swimming pool.

As a matter of fact, my brother-in-law just ran up all of his credit cards to the max. He got veneers on all of his teeth and paid in advance for his son's education. He hasn't worked in months. THEN, he filed for bankruptcy. He is proud of this fact.

I am assuming this guy had his credit cards maxed to the limit. If you are paying for all of the material things that you have, you don't really own them.

 

[ewwwinteresting]

It's much easier to get someone (or a church) to help pay for rent then it is for a VX payment or credit card payments. I'm guessing raven was spending money on his girlfriends!

julia: regarding your siggy, think God can count up as high as he would need to in this case??

 

[ewwwinteresting]

I have family members who know how to beat the system. I think that it is absolutely disgusting. They work at jobs where they are mainly paid in cash. Most of their assets are in the mother-in-law's name. They take several all-inclusive trips a year, buy new cars, have a boat, are on welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, whatever is offered for a free ride. They live in a big house which has an in-ground swimming pool.

As a matter of fact, my brother-in-law just ran up all of his credit cards to the max. He got veneers on all of his teeth and paid in advance for his son's education. He hasn't worked in months. THEN, he filed for bankruptcy. He is proud of this fact.

I am assuming this guy had his credit cards maxed to the limit. If you are paying for all of the material things that you have, you don't really own them.

Well, we know raven worked his church's system of gratitude. And may very well as we speak be working the government system. GIVE ME FREE money and benefits. I wonder if they pay more to :loser:s??

 

[Bobbisangel]

Does anybody know Raven's and Janet's approximately salaries while they worked at Eurosport? It would be interesting to see if they were able to support this lifestyle (on credit, of course) until he was fired and she had to quit!

It sounds like they were meeting their bills each month because of the money he was stealing from the company. He probably stole whatever amount they needed to make the bills over and above their salaries. Then he got caught
and had no money until Janet found another job and her paycheck sure wouldn't have covered their bills.

Janet must have known that their salaries weren't enough to cover their bills.
I wonder where she thought the extra money was coming from. I know I would have wondered. Maybe Raven told her he got a raise or something.

 

[juliagoulia]

julia: regarding your siggy, think God can count up as high as he would need to in this case??

I'm sure He won't miss a single one!

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

It would be very strange for someone in dire financial straits to have an uncashed check lying around for the amount of that check.