Oy vey!

http://www.freep.com/story/new...me/99483692/?ref=yfp

Newman and Kramer would be proud. (Well, maybe.)

A 70-year-old Flint man, John Custer Woodfill, has pleaded guilty Monday to returning more than $10,000 worth of out-of-state, non-returnable beverage containers, according to a statement from the office of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette.

It was discovered that, from 2012-15, Woodfill was buying uncrushed, non-returnable cans in Indiana as scrap, then returning them to Michigan to redeem the 10-cents-per-can deposit refund with the help of a partner who's now deceased.

The partner would purchase local, non-refundable soda and beer cans for 60-80 cents per pound in Brownstown, Ind., then Woodfill would trailer them to Flint to take advantage of Michigan's refund law on deposits, the statement said.

“This was not a one-time nickel-and-dime case,” Schuette said in the statement. “This man orchestrated bogus refunds for tens of thousands of non-returnable beverage containers. In effect he stole from Michigan’s bottle return program that has long served to protect and promote a healthy environment. His actions also negatively affected distributors, merchants and even consumers who carry much of the burden in making the program work.”

For some of the beverage containers, Woodfill used "phony labels" to give the appearance of a proper bar code for automatic return machines.

This is an issue state lawmakers have tried to crack down on for years since 1978, when Michigan became the only state that refunds 10 cents per can or bottle. But it may sound really familiar if you're a fan of "Seinfeld," the long-running NBC sitcom from the 1990s.

In one episode, "The Bottle Deposit" - which aired in 1996, during the show's 7th season - Kramer and Newman hatch a scheme to return New York cans and bottles in Michigan, where they can earn 10 cents per deposit instead of 5. Newman, a mailman, crunches the numbers and decides they'll use a mail truck carrying spillover Mother's Day mail to be sorted in Saginaw, therefore bypassing gas and rental fees.

As part of the guilty plea, Woodfill owes $400,000 in restitution to the state of Michigan and forfeited the van and trailer he used during the scheme, the statement said. He will be sentenced May 2.

Hey, the water made him do it.

quote:

As part of the guilty plea, Woodfill owes $400,000 in restitution to the state of Michigan and forfeited the van and trailer he used during the scheme, the statement said. He will be sentenced May 2.

$400,000 in restitution for $10,000 worth of theft? He needs a new lawyer.

Non-returnable containers? Then how did he return them?

So what did he do that was illegal again? The can says 10 cents if you return the container in Michigan. Does the container have to be bought in Michigan in order to return it there? Is that the law?

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Does the container have to be bought in Michigan in order to return it there? Is that the law?

I believe that's the hitch exactly.

-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Does the container have to be bought in Michigan in order to return it there? Is that the law?

I believe that's the hitch exactly.

-Rob

Yes that is exactly correct. Because you pay the 10 cents up front when you buy the bottle, then you get it back when you return it. If you get the bottle in another state you never paid upfront. The point is, in theory, that you are just getting your own money back.

And as to the restitution question - the charge is returning 10,000 or more containers. So any amount over 10,000 is the same charge. He obviously did way more than that to get to a $400,000 restitution figure.

The actual MI statue if anyone is curious:

https://www.legislature.mi.gov...ectName=mcl-445-574a

Ah, I see. Thank you.

Don't have these stupid bottle tax schemes and you wouldn't have bottle return schemes.

Goofiest law ever. Someone is making money on this but not sure who.
And the can/bottle return machines? Nasty! Oh... its always fun waiting to return your 12 pack while the local frat boys return a couple hundred!

I dont get it. Liberals should embrace this guy...

He's taking things that are recyclable, in this case bad sugary soft drinks that they enjoy banning, taking those cans/bottles from the filthy rich that can afford such luxury items, and getting their fare share.

Its like a progressive wet dream.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Goofiest law ever. Someone is making money on this but not sure who.
And the can/bottle return machines? Nasty! Oh... its always fun waiting to return your 12 pack while the local frat boys return a couple hundred!

That is one thing I do not miss from Michigan. On the other hand you almost never see a can or bottle on the ground as litter. And it is nice to see some folks gathering up the cans and bottles after events, etc.

Pure profit for the state for every one that isn't returned (and I'm willing to bet it's more than half), and the poor suckers (business owners and the public) do all the work!

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Pure profit for the state for every one that isn't returned (and I'm willing to bet it's more than half), and the poor suckers (business owners and the public) do all the work!

Michigan's return rate is over 95%. But apparently that five percent is still a decent chunk of change.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING...n.bottle.deposit.mf/

(Sorry to link to CNN).

Then the 10 cent idea is backfiring. (or a lot of people are doing what he was doing, which also means its backfiring)

The entire CRV thing is a scam. Pay a nickel a bottle and you'll get a fraction of it back.

I'm sorry, but it's hard for me to take anybody who does this seriously after watching the Seinfeld episode, LMAO.

You'd think there are bigger fish to catch than some 70 year old guy recycling cans. If I was the AG, Id be a bit embarassed.

The only thing that would make this story better is if the AG was named Delores.

I grew up in MI, live in WI the last 20+ years.

1st off, the MI 'bottle bill' is a tax scheme. It's a net positive to the State for $ millions every year. Those deposits get paid at purchase, then a certain % never get returned.

I used to save & bring over a garbage bag of empties for the refund. It was sorta my small 'protest' procedure. One garbage bag may be $6 worth for the refund.

One doesn't want to return at a border store with an out of State plated vehicle. I often just gave the bag to a MI relative.

NY recently enacted a 5 cent 'refund' on plastic water bottles, guess what, most of those will never be returned. It's just a way to collect revenue under the guise of an environmental law.

If one is returning $10k lots of cans it's likely to raise suspicion.

Despite all negative the commentary regarding the bottle return laws, they have been huge in cleaning up the state. Before the law was enacted all the inner city gutters were full of broken glass. Rural roads sparkled with broken glass and plastic, and barefoot kids had cuts on their feet constantly. After passage of the law things improved considerably.

quote:

Originally posted by entropy:


The only thing that would make this story better is if the AG was named Delores.

Or Mulva...