FBI Knew of O.J. Simpson Plan in Advance

[Ghost in the Machine]

FBI Knew of O.J. Simpson Plan in Advance
Published: 11/3/07, 6:25 AM EDT
By LINDA DEUTSCH and KEN RITTER

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Federal agents learned three weeks in advance that O.J. Simpson and a memorabilia dealer planned an operation to retrieve personal items Simpson said were stolen from him, according to FBI reports obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

Dealer Thomas Riccio said he reported to the FBI on Aug. 21 that a collector claimed to have belongings taken from Simpson, and that Simpson wanted to videotape the confrontation with the person peddling thousands of pieces of his memorabilia.



Riccio told AP that he raised the subject while talking with the FBI about an unrelated subject: a video of Anna Nicole Smith. But he said agents dismissed his report, telling him "they didn't want to be involved in another weirsd celebrity case."

"The guy flat-out told me he had items stolen from O.J.'s house," Riccio told the AP. "I have a legitimate business."

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Riccio did not indicate a crime would be committed.

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[flashl]

1. We keep wanting to believe that somebody is minding the store

"Riccio said he contacted the Los Angeles Police Department, where he said he was switched from department to department before finally being told to file a civil complaint.

"No one seemed to be concerned about it," Riccio said.

An LAPD spokesman declined to comment on Riccio's account."

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Whether or not the FBI had prior knowledge is irrelevent to the fact that

the acts can be argued as a violation of the penal code of Nevada and/or the federal crime statutes.