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West Virginia broker pleads guilty to cattle scamBECKLEY, W.Va. (AP)--A cattle broker and two former bank officials have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a scam that defrauded $4.2 million from investors and lenders. Kevin Scott O'Brien, 28, admitted that he sold the same herd to different buyers. He pleaded guilty Feb. 25 to mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Beckley. O'Brien operated Shamrock Farms and K&M Properties Investments and brokered cattle sales in Greenbrier and Monroe counties and in several other states. Up to a dozen people in Virginia, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas and Indiana were defrauded, federal prosecutors said. "Cows don't have (vehicle identification) numbers, so it's kind of an easier way to hide," Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Forbes said. Forbes said O'Brien would use one investor's money to fund dealings with another investor. Charles A. Henthorn of Lewisburg, former president of the First National Bank of Ronceverte, pleaded guilty to one count of accepting bribes from O'Brien. G. Thomas Garten of Covington, Va., a former member of the bank's board of directors, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the bribes. State Police began investigating O'Brien after he filed for bankruptcy in April 2006. Each defendant faces up to 30 years in prison, along with fines and restitution. U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston scheduled sentencing for all three men for June 30. 3/31/08 Date: 3/26/08 Advertisement
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