the michael ritter scandal continues...

SERIOUSLY FOLKS! THIS STORY JUST GETS JUICIER AND JUICIER!!!

Ex-Alta. official faked law degree
Legislature lawyer did not graduate, court told
Charles Rusnell, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Tuesday, April 25, 2006

EDMONTON - Michael Ritter, Alberta's former chief parliamentary counsel, fabricated aspects of his academic credentials and never graduated from the law program at a London, England, university as he claimed.

The stunning revelation came during testimony Monday by an RCMP officer in Ritter's trial for breach of recognizance.
Ritter is accused of failing to turn in all his passports, as ordered by the court, and of securing a Belizean passport using an alias. Police and prosecutors say Ritter, a prominent Edmonton businessman and arts philanthropist, wanted the passport and the new identity so he could flee charges in Canada and the U.S.

The charges include laundering $43 million US for a Wall Street energy trader and helping perpetuate a $250-million US Ponzi scheme, in which the money from later investors was used to pay earlier investors. Ritter has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is fighting extradition.

Dressed in a dark grey suit and white shirt with no tie, and shackled in leg irons, Ritter showed no emotion Monday as Sgt. Marjorie Maier of RCMP Commercial Crime testified that Scotland Yard, at the Mounties' request, checked out Ritter's academic credentials in England.

Maier said Scotland Yard reported that Ritter did not graduate from the London School of Economics, did not intern at the House of Lords, and was not accepted as a member of Gray's Inn, one of four institutions in London whose members comprise the bar of England and Wales.

Despite this, Ritter served as Alberta's chief parliamentary counsel from 1987 to 1992 and was by several accounts extremely capable, even drafting legislation that was adopted by other provinces. Read the rest here...

See the entire Michael Ritter Scandal Chronology.