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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 2 december 2017

Police: Retiree made ricin, tested it on neighbors Wig-wearing

thief sought
By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press in Vegas Strip
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A
retirement community resi- casino heist
dent made ricin and tested
the deadly toxin on her LAS VEGAS (AP) — A get-
neighbors by putting it on away vehicle was found
their food or in beverages but a man who wore a wig
over a period of weeks, in- and facial bandages was
vestigators said. still sought after the armed
Betty Miller told an FBI robbery of a poker room
agent that she wanted to casino cashier at the Bella-
“injure herself” and was gio resort, a Las Vegas po-
testing the poison’s effec- lice spokesman said Friday.
tiveness on other residents The silver Chevrolet Cruz
at the Wake Robin senior was found near a gravel
living facility, according to pit about 8 miles (13 kilo-
a criminal complaint. meters) south of the scene
A handcuffed Miller, 70, of Tuesday afternoon’s
made her first appearance heist, police Officer Aden
in federal court Friday. Ocampo-Gomez said.
Judge John Conroy noted Casino security video clips
that Miller had a “lengthy A sign marks the entrance to the Wake Robin retirement community, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, released by police on
in Shelburne, Vt. Vermont State Police and FBI said they were investigating the source of the
mental health history,” but deadly toxin ricin that was found at the retirement community. A Wake Robin spokeswoman said Thursday show the robber
did not elaborate. residents were safe. wearing a curly, blond wig
Miller was placed in cus- (AP Photo/Lisa Rathke) beneath a dark-colored
tody and was scheduled beverages, the agent said the ricin on at least three The powder tested positive watch cap, eyeglasses,
to be in court again on in the complaint. No resi- occasions, the complaint for ricin. Investigators also and bandages on part of
Wednesday. She said she dents reported symptoms said. found instructions for mak- his face.
was working on getting a of ricin poisoning, he said. Investigators found a pill ing ricin that apparently Actor James Woods post-
lawyer. Miller said she harvested bottle half full with powder were from the internet, the ed on Twitter that he was
Police were called to the 30 to 40 castor beans from labeled as ricin in a bas- affidavit said. playing poker not far from
senior community in Shel- plants growing on Wake ket in a kitchen cabinet of If inhaled, ricin causes dif- the cashier, and that no
burne on Tuesday after Mill- Robin’s property and Miller’s apartment a midst ficulty breathing and oth- one realized what hap-
er told heath care provid- made 2 to 3 tablespoons other pill bottles labeled er symptoms. If ingested, pened until the robber was
ers she had manufactured of ricin twice in her kitchen, “apple seed,” ‘’cherry symptoms include vomit- gone.
the ricin and placed it on the complaint said. She seed” and “yew seed,” the ing, diarrhea, hallucina- Ocampo-Gomez says no
other residents’ food and exposed other residents to complaint said. tions and seizures.q one was hurt, and the
Mother of lottery scam kingpin to plead guilty amount of money taken
isn’t being disclosed.
The video shows the robber
By BLAKE NICHOLSON Monday under which scams in October 2009 life savings of more than carrying a plastic bag and
Associated Press she will plead guilty next when he returned to Ja- $300,000 in 2011. A federal dressed in jeans, sneakers
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The Wednesday to conspiracy, maica after getting a col- investigation resulted in and a dark jacket over a
mother of a Jamaican man and the government will lege degree in the U.S., and charges against 27 people, gray hooded sweatshirt.
who authorities say master- drop dozens of fraud and that he wanted to help his including a current block of He breaks into a jog as he
minded a large-scale lot- money laundering counts. mother through financial 15 suspects who are still be- leaves the casino.
tery scam in the U.S. has The deal is similar to those problems. ing prosecuted in North Da- Ocampo-Gomez said in-
agreed to plead guilty in reached by numerous oth- The suspects are accused kota. Two of the 15 are still vestigators don’t know if
the case. er defendants in the case, of calling victims about fugitives in Jamaica. Sev- the robber was from the
Prosecutors say the scheme including Hunter’s son, Lavr- bogus lottery winnings, per- en others have pleaded Las Vegas area or out-of-
operated out of the man- ick Willocks, who authorities suading them to send ad- guilty, including Willocks’ state.
sion that Dahlia Hunter say was the scam’s kingpin. vance fees to receive the girlfriend, Kimberly Hudson, MGM Resorts International
shared with her son in He is awaiting sentencing purported winnings, then who did so late last month. owns the Bellagio casino-
Kingston, Jamaica, bilking after pleading guilty in July. keeping the money without Hunter and another sus- resort, known for its foun-
at least 90 Americans out Willocks told U.S. District paying out anything to the pect are set to plead guilty tains, on the Las Vegas
of more than $5.7 million. Judge Daniel Hovland dur- victims. The scam began next week, leaving just four Strip. The company in a
Hunter and prosecutors ing his plea hearing that to unravel when a woman suspects still scheduled for statement says it is cooper-
finalized an agreement he got involved in lottery in North Dakota lost her trial in January.q ating with authorities.q