Telling 'Dr. Phil' Audience of Claimed $1M Shoplifting Scam Gets Couple Indicted
Allen Eaton, 34, and his 26-year-old wife, Laura, were already under investigation in a potential misdemeanor shoplifting case in San Diego County when they approached the Dr. Phil television show and offered to tell their story.
But their appearance on the nationally televised program last year catapulted their case into a high-profile federal probe, after they admitted to stealing perhaps $1 million in merchandise and selling it over the Internet during the past seven years, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Last week, they were indicted by a federal grand jury in San Diego, on charges of moving stolen goods across state lines. The videotape from the show—and, possibly, a home video of a out-of-state road trip in which the two allegedly used their small children as decoys while ripping off retailers—is expected to be used in evidence.
“In 20 years of fraud cases, I’ve never seen anything like this: a taped confession before a national audience,” says Greg Meyer, a U.S. Secret Service agent who worked on the case.
Earlier related coverage:
ABAJournal.com “Did Couple’s ‘Dr. Phil’ Appearance Lead to Raid?”
ABAJournal.com: “Fla. Felon Gets 6 Years for Posting YouTube AK-47 Video”
