Dousing For Dope
When the cons fool the pros.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadro_Tracker
“The Quadro Tracker, also known as the Positive Molecular Locator, was a fake "detection device" sold by Quadro Corp. of Harleyville, South Carolina between 1993 and 1996. Around 1,000 were sold to police departments and school districts around the United States on the basis that it could detect hidden drugs, explosives, weapons and lost golf balls.”
Invented by a man named Wade Quattlebaum, The Quadro Tracker was busted as a phony device when an FBI agent named Ron Kelly, who was suspicious of the device immediately, ran it through the x-ray machine at a courthouse revealing it to be hollow
“The device consisted of three principal components. A "locator card" purportedly containing a "signature" of the object to be detected was inserted into a plastic "card reader" about the size of a tape cassette that could be attached to the user's belt. This was connected to a hand-held unit about 4 inches (10 cm) long to which a horizontally swivelling metal antenna was attached. The antenna would purportedly point to the item being sought when a suitable locator card was inserted into the "card reader"'“
The manufacturer made outrageous claims such as that the device could detect specific individuals regardless of disguise and told the victims of their fraudulent sales that these devices had been tested out by federal agencies when they had not
From 1993 to 1996 approximately one thousand of these faux detectors were sold at varying rates from 400$ to 8000$
In 1996 the FBI obtained an injunction against the device being made or sold and 3 of the Quadrocorp principals were charged with and later acquitted for mail fraud and conspiracy mail fraud
The FBI also sought out distributors of the device.
“Two Houston-based Assistant US Attorneys who had acted as distributors – Guy Womack, who later represented US Army Specialist Charles Graner in the 2003-04 Abu Ghraib prisoner abusescandal, and John Wagner – were implicated in the affair as licensed distributors for the Quadro Tracker in Alabama, Arkansas, New Mexico and Wyoming. A court was told in April 1996 that Womack could be a target of an investigation of possible conflicts of interest, false statements to investigators about his involvement with the Quadro Tracker and possible use of federal office equipment for private business. During the hearing, Womack pleaded the Fifth Amendment on 42 occasions”
Womack was never charged but resigned and paid fines while saying he was innocent