Attorney General's News Release

May 2, 1996

St. Louis woman found guilty of four criminal consumer fraud charges prosecuted by Nixon

Jefferson City, Mo. — A St. Louis woman charged with defrauding several Missouri and out-of-state businesses was found guilty yesterday in Greene County Circuit Court on four criminal counts of unlawful merchandising practices.

Carol Jeanne DeHater faces up to 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine after being found guilty by Circuit Judge J. Miles Sweeney. Attorney General Jay Nixon, who prosecuted DeHater, said she represented herself as a “liquidation specialist” for a ficititious business and took money in advance from merchants to purportedly cover freight costs for Evinrude outboard motors, tires, appliances and other merchandise that were not delivered.

DeHater and an accomplice, Paul Clifford Carter, were indicted by a Greene County grand jury in May 1994 at Nixon's request. Witnesses testifed DeHater and Carter made sales in six states during the month and a half they operated the phony business, Global Enterprises Inc. Carter pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced last September to four concurrent five-year terms.

Nixon said the pair:

• Collected shipping expenses up front, but used the money for unrelated purposes.
• Misrepresented they could deliver the boat motors ordered when they could not.
• Promised full refunds for undelivered merchandise, when no refunds were issued.
• Used aliases and fictitious business addresses.

“These two cases involved well-coordinated cooperation and investigation by law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels,” Nixon said. He praised the Columbia, St. Charles and Smithville police departments; the Missouri State Water Patrol; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their help.

Sentencing for DeHater is scheduled for July 12.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818