George Norris update

[Eric Muehlbauer]

For those of you who are interested, I just got an email from Kathy Norris that George is to be released from prison on April 27, at 8:00 am.....Take care, Eric

 

[Heather]

Good news! Thanks Eric.

 

[e-spice]

How long has he been away for?

e-spice

 

[Ron-NY]

I don't recall...he was out and then had to go back in...when was that? Good news that he will be finally get on with his life

 

[Hien]

For those of you who are interested, I just got an email from Kathy Norris that George is to be released from prison on April 27, at 8:00 am.....Take care, Eric

Some may not agree with me, but I think he should not be in jail when lot of murderers, drug cartels, crooked executives that stole our investment, politicians & lobbyists etc.. who commit things that 1,000 time worse for the country go free.
I never met the person, but I pray that he survives the ordeal and have a better future.
Does the orchid community ever find out who is the instrument behind his ordeal (I don't mean the judge or prosecutor)

 

[NYEric]

Don't know the man but hopefully the ordeal wasn't too bad.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

George went back to jail in January....I'm not sure who is the primary person responsible for George's problems, but it probably involves a few people. I know that George mentioned that a former customer had contacted people...that seems to be the original source of the Govt. investigating him...there are a few names I have heard in relation to his problems..one of which is Eric Christianson....but I do not know the details, and he may be just totally tangential ,if at all, to the case. George had a talent for alienating people....Once he was a known quantity to the govt, it was no big deal to keep tabs on him, and when the instructions came to have some cheap, common phrags sent to Miami labelled as Maxillaria's, well, they just went out and got him. George is the first one to admit his culpability in this...and even the people who couldn't stand him agree that his sentence was outrageous, given the "severity" of the crime, his age, and his health. According to George, they were hoping he would give information on the real orchid smugglers, importing the real illegal plants, or just bringing in large quantities illegally...regardless, George refused to give them the information they wanted...and George ended up in jail for far too long.........Take care, Eric

 

[Heather]

Hopefully this will all be in the past soon.
Our gov't's priorities...well...

 

[NYEric]

Hopefully this will all be in the past soon.
Our gov't's priorities...well...

We are watching you too!:ninja:

 

[Ron-NY]

I had heard that George put up his house as bail for Manuel Arias and when Arias fled the country George lost his house as well. Do you know if that is true.

 

[Greenthings]

I had heard that George put up his house as bail for Manuel Arias and when Arias fled the country George lost his house as well. Do you know if that is true.

Yes George did put up his house as a bond for Manuel Arias. The value of the bond was $ 175,000.- When Manuel Arias fled the country, George lost the $ 175,000.- bond. Kathy may still be living in the house, I do not know. When George was released from jail after his first term, my snail mail to him was returned with the note, inmate unknown in this institute.

Just in case some of you do not know the history, let me stress, there is no connection with George's sentence and illegal Pk's. George is basically a nice man and very well liked everywhere, he simply got caught with something many others get away with.

This was a case involving Cites App I orchid imports; not Pk. For more details you may write me off forum, orchids at golden dot net

Peter


peter

 

[Ron-NY]

So, being that Manuel is a fugitive from justice, is that why Manolo Arias got involved in the orchid business or was he always a part of the business?

 

[Greenthings]

So, being that Manuel is a fugitive from justice, is that why Manolo Arias got involved in the orchid business or was he always a part of the business?

Manuel was a school principal, at one time. Lee Moore is a collector of orchids and other plants, has been for more than 45 years, in Peru. Also maintains a home in Miami Fl. At one point in time, Manuel became an orchid collector and was part of a group of collectors including Lee. They often collected together in the Peruvvian orchid habitats.

The exact date Manule switched from classroom to collecting orchids I do not know, but when I visited Manuel's greenhouses in 1999, they were well established and loaded with orchids, many specimen plants that were easily ten or more years old. His business grew to greenhouses in three locations.

Manuel is a very charming man. Lee tells me that when collecting orchids together, Manuel would play guitar and sing for them around the camp fire.

Manolo is his son, who now runs Peruflora, the orchid laboratory.

peter

 

[L I Jane]

I for one am glad that he is finally getting out.He was always very kind to me altho' I never met him face to face.It's a shame that he is now out of orchids altogether now.

 

[Greenthings]

So, being that Manuel is a fugitive from justice, is that why Manolo Arias got involved in the orchid business or was he always a part of the business?

Sorry I obviously missed the question.

You may be correct, that may be one reason Manolo entered the business, I can only speculate.That Manolo is running Peruflora for his Dad can hardly be denied. He works with INRENA Permit 002 to sell Pk; that permit was not issued to Manolo, but to Manuel Arias.

If a US fugitive like Manuel Arias tried to sell his products in the USA, he would more than likely be prevented from doing so. Manolo is not a fugitive and can sell for his Dad. The USFWS and CITES have not yet prevented Manolo Arias from selling his father's products.

peter

 

[gonewild]

Sorry I obviously missed the question.

You may be correct, that may be one reason Manolo entered the business, I can only speculate.That Manolo is running Peruflora for his Dad can hardly be denied. He works with INRENA Permit 002 to sell Pk; that permit was not issued to Manolo, but to Manuel Arias.

peter

Are the INRENA kovachii permits issued to an individual person or to a registered business?

 

[Greenthings]

.It's a shame that he is now out of orchids altogether now.

George has not expressed any bitterness to me about that. He has told me that the orchid part of his life is behind him and he has begun to move on with other things.

peter

 

[Greenthings]

Are the INRENA kovachii permits issued to an individual person or to a registered business?

To date, only three Pk collection permits were issued by INRENA. Each one was issued to a "registered with INRENA" orchid business.

Each permit allowed the collection of five mature Pk plants from a designated habitat, in a given, brief, time frame. Each permit also allows the artificial mass propagation from these five plants, within the limits of the CITES definition of Artificial Propagation.

peter

 

[gonewild]

To date, only three Pk collection permits were issued by INRENA. Each one was issued to a "registered with INRENA" orchid business.
peter

Then Manuel's permit may belong to a company and not him personally.
I wonder what type of business Peruflora is registered as?

 

[Greenthings]

Then Manuel's permit may belong to a company and not him personally.
I wonder what type of business Peruflora is registered as?

Lance, you know how things work in Peru. It would really not make any difference what is today, for tomorrow it will be changed and the day after tomorrow it may be reversed again.

I believe that the permit is issued to both the business and the owner, I will have to check it when I get back home
in a few weeks from now, I have a copy of INRENA Permit 001.

INRENA and Peruflora do not volunteer any information. What happened with the issue of Permit 002 when Peruflora was created, no one seems to know. Many in Peru believe that Peruflora is simply a laboratory and sales office for Manuel Arias and that Manolo is the manager.

peter