Owner of telemarketing firm gets 10 years in prison

Thursday, Nov. 13, 1997 | 4:23 a.m.

"This is an important case because the company owned by Carl Hanley was considered a legitimate company in the telemarketing industry," federal prosecutor Jonathan Mitchell said Wednesday.

Mitchell said Legendary Concepts gave a few so-called prizes to some people, mostly seniors, who were contacted by high-pressure salesmen and convinced they would receive valuable prizes in exchange for purchasing less expensive ones.

The victims ended up paying thousands of dollars and a few of them received basically worthless gifts, such as junk watches. The company bilked people out of $18 million.

Hanley, 35, and telemarketing company co-owners Randall Moore, 43, and William Scott Jr., 30, were convicted last April of 21 counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The five-week trial was one of the most widely watched cases originating out of Operation Senior Sentinel, a national investigation into telemarketing fraud that indicted about 200 people in 1995.

Scott was to be sentenced Thursday and Moore is set to be sentenced Friday.

A total of 11 owners and employees of Legendary Concepts were indicted. Seven entered guilty pleas.