hmm......Who else will flee ? The missing Executive that has yet to be tried?

National Century
Convicted executive says escape plot is lie
Monday, April 7, 2008 9:10 PM
By Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A former National Century Financial Enterprises executive, jailed after word of a plot to flee the country surfaced, continued his efforts to be released today.

Attorneys for Randolph H. Speer filed a motion today in federal court in Columbus saying a jailhouse informant lied and that there was no plan by National Century executives to meet in Aruba if convicted.

Five former executives of the defunct Dublin-based health-care financier were convicted on a variety of fraud counts in March.

The motion, filed by attorneys Fred Benton and James Ervin Jr. on behalf of Speer, says the government's allegations of a plot are baseless and asks that Speer and the other executives be freed pending sentencing.

“Mr. Speer vehemently and unequivocally denies knowledge or participation in any such plot,” Speer's attorneys wrote. “There is no credible evidence to support such a blatantly false allegation.”

Last week, federal Judge Algenon L. Marbley ordered that Speer, Donald H. Ayers, Roger S. Faulkenberry and James E. Dierker Jr. be placed behind bars instead of on house arrest.

A bond revocation hearing for the National Century executives is expected to be held April 16. Marbley made the order after Rebecca S. Parrett's disappearance in late March. Parrett was among the five convicted, and her whereabouts remain unknown. Then FBI agents learned from a confidential informant of a plan to escape to Aruba, information that reportedly came from Lance K. Poulsen, former National Century president who's awaiting trial.

Poulsen says he never made such a statement. Poulsen's assertion was made in a letter from his attorney that was attached to the motion.

Today's motion also says the government's informant is Robert Cihy, who is being held in the Ross County Jail on federal charges along with Poulsen.

Cihy was charged with robbing the Farmers Citizen Bank, 5858 N. High St., Worthington, where $1,577 was taken and a gun was shown. He also is a suspect in several other robberies, according to federal court records.

Cihy agreed to a plea bargain and is expected in court Wednesday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Squires has said the government does not comment about its confidential sources.

Marbley ruled today that the government will not have to disclose the identity of the source.