Editing Vince Whibbs, Jr.
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
| Latest revision | Your text | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | + | [[Image:VinceWhibbsJr.jpg|right|Vince Whibbs, Jr.]] | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
'''Vincent John Whibbs, Jr.''', known as Vinnie, is one of the seven children of [[Vince Whibbs, Sr.]] He was a prominent Pensacola attorney until it was revealed in October [[2006]] that he had misappropriated $683,827 in client trust funds for his personal investments. He was disbarred and sentenced to four years in prison. | '''Vincent John Whibbs, Jr.''', known as Vinnie, is one of the seven children of [[Vince Whibbs, Sr.]] He was a prominent Pensacola attorney until it was revealed in October [[2006]] that he had misappropriated $683,827 in client trust funds for his personal investments. He was disbarred and sentenced to four years in prison. | ||
==Personal life & education== | ==Personal life & education== | ||
Whibbs received his undergraduate degree from the Springhill College in 1966. In 1968 he received his law degree from University of Florida. He served in the Marines' Judge Advocate General's Corps between 1968-1971. | Whibbs received his undergraduate degree from the Springhill College in 1966. In 1968 he received his law degree from University of Florida. He served in the Marines' Judge Advocate General's Corps between 1968-1971. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Law career & scandal== | ==Law career & scandal== | ||
| − | Whibbs was previously involved in the family's car dealership, [[Vince Whibbs Automotive]], until he began a law firm with his son [[Donovan Whibbs|Donovan]] and daughter-in-law [[Suzanne Whibbs|Suzanne]] called Whibbs & Whibbs (now [[Whibbs & Stone]]). | + | Whibbs was previously involved in the family's car dealership, [[Vince Whibbs Automotive]], until he began a law firm with his son [[Donovan Whibbs|Donovan]] and daughter-in-law [[Suzanne Whibbs|Suzanne]] called Whibbs & Whibbs (now [[Whibbs, Rayboun & Stone]]). |
Starting around 2001, Whibbs began soliticiting investments for [[Asbury Place (Gulf Breeze)|Asbury Place]], a Gulf Breeze Alzheimer care facility, by convincing potential investors it was actually the existing [[Asbury Place (Pensacola)|Pensacola facility]] of the same name. When [[Stephen Solice]], a fellow partner in the Gulf Breeze facility, noticed one of their business accounts had no money, he contacted Whibbs, who transferred $489,000 from his law firm's trust accounts. | Starting around 2001, Whibbs began soliticiting investments for [[Asbury Place (Gulf Breeze)|Asbury Place]], a Gulf Breeze Alzheimer care facility, by convincing potential investors it was actually the existing [[Asbury Place (Pensacola)|Pensacola facility]] of the same name. When [[Stephen Solice]], a fellow partner in the Gulf Breeze facility, noticed one of their business accounts had no money, he contacted Whibbs, who transferred $489,000 from his law firm's trust accounts. | ||
| − | Whibbs was able to conceal the misappropriations because only he and his wife [[Elizabeth Whibbs|Elizabeth]] had access to the trust accounts. | + | Whibbs was able to conceal the misappropriations because only he and his wife [[Elizabeth Whibbs|Elizabeth]] had access to the trust accounts. Ffirm member [[Michael Rayboun]] recommended hiring a new bookkeeper, [[Christine Bilbrey]], but was instructed by Vinnie to "keep her out of the books."<ref name="sentenced"/> When Bilbrey discovered the plundered trust accounts in December 2004, Whibbs blamed his wife and fired her from the firm. Later, Bilbrey's office "was ransacked," she testified. "Everything pertaining to the banking and accounting was stolen out of my office."<ref name="sentenced"/> |
| − | Another $500,000 went missing in 2005. [[Donovan Whibbs]] confronted his father, who again tried to blame poor bookkeeping before admitting he had invested the money in Asbury Place. The firm's shareholders | + | Another $500,000 went missing in 2005. [[Donovan Whibbs]] confronted his father, who again tried to blame poor bookkeeping before admitting he had invested the money in Asbury Place. The firm's shareholders were promised that Whibbs "was going to make it all right" and replaced the missing money from personal accounts and the firm's operating revenue.<ref name="sentenced"/> |
When Whibbs failed to return a $150,000 investment made by [[Dan and Roberta Peppler]], the couple contacted the State Attorney's Office, which began the investigation that revealed the scope of Whibbs's wrongdoings. | When Whibbs failed to return a $150,000 investment made by [[Dan and Roberta Peppler]], the couple contacted the State Attorney's Office, which began the investigation that revealed the scope of Whibbs's wrongdoings. | ||
| Line 45: | Line 18: | ||
On [[October 5]], [[2006]] Whibbs was disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court for five years and charged with two counts of grand theft of over $100,000 and another charge of mortgage fraud. On [[May 7]], [[2007]], felony racketeering was added to the charges.<ref>"Whibbs faces fourth charge." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 8, 2007.</ref> | On [[October 5]], [[2006]] Whibbs was disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court for five years and charged with two counts of grand theft of over $100,000 and another charge of mortgage fraud. On [[May 7]], [[2007]], felony racketeering was added to the charges.<ref>"Whibbs faces fourth charge." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 8, 2007.</ref> | ||
| − | Whibbs pleaded no contest on [[July 3]]. On [[August 17]], he was sentenced to four years in state prison by [[1st Circuit Court|Circuit Court]] Judge [[Jan Shackelford]]. | + | Whibbs pleaded no contest on [[July 3]]. On [[August 17]], he was sentenced to four years in state prison by [[1st Circuit Court|Circuit Court]] Judge [[Jan Shackelford]]. Whibbs's attorney, [[Barry Beroset]], indicated he had no plans to appeal.<ref name="sentenced">"Whibbs Jr. sentenced." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 18, 2007.</ref> |
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 51: | Line 24: | ||
{{bio-stub}} | {{bio-stub}} | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | |
| + | [[Category:Scandals|Whibbs, Vince Jr]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Disbarred attorneys|Whibbs, Vince Jr]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Whibbs family]] | ||