By Krystal J. Carman
June 10, 2009 — An Oologah man set to appear in federal court in Connecticut Wednesday afternoon was found shot in the head Wednesday morning.
William Todd Bingham was set for sentencing at 2 p.m. on federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering. He pleaded guilty to the charges in July as part of a plea agreement.
According to Tulsa Police Investigator Mike Zenoni, between 5 and 6 a.m. Wednesday a passerby noticed Bingham leaning out of the door of his vehicle around 3600 N. Sheridan in Tulsa. Bingham, who was alone in his vehicle, had a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to a Tulsa hospital where he is in critical condition, Zenoni said.
Robert C. Mirto, Bingham’s Connecticut attorney, had no comment about his client late Wednesday afternoon.
A sentence between 70 and 87 months was expected to be imposed on Bingham Wednesday afternoon.
Bingham was federally indicted in July 2008 on allegations he frauded several investors by claiming to purchase vehicles for resale to rental car companies for 10 years. According to the indictment, Bingham was provided $7 million from 42 investors from 2001 to 2007 to finance his business for which he promised investors 50 percent of the profits. Connecticut investors provided $1.8 million of the investment funds which was transferred to Bingham’s bank accounts here in Oklahoma.
Even though some of the funds were returned to investors, leading them to believe they were receiving profits from the business, Bingham spent the investment money on a car loan and mortgage payments, credit card bills and checks made out to himself for cash. The money returned to some investors, according to the government, was not profits but money from additional, new investors.
The government is recommending Bingham be subject to a fine between $12, 500 and $125,000 for wire fraud and between $10,000 to $100,000 for money laundering.
In addition, Bingham will be ordered to pay restitution to the victims for lost income and necessary child care, transportation and other expenses incurred during the investigation of the case.
Bingham will also be required to file income tax returns for the years 2001 to 2006 or agree to the civil tax adjustments calculated by the IRS by singing Forms 4549 for the years in question.
Real property located at 8307 East 370th Road in Oologah and a sum of money equal to the value of all forfeitable assets Bingham owns will be forfeited to the federal government.
