A 65-year-old man suspected of stealing more than $1 million from 10 victims was arrested by deputies from Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) at Stateline on April 1.
The suspect, George Ronald Russell, allegedly made false claims to victims when securing investments in a booklet he wrote called, The DUI Nightmare.
DCSO was notified by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office that Russell was possibly in the area and was frequently seen at Stateline casinos. The casino surveillance departments assisted and notified DCSO when they spotted the suspect. Deputies were able to arrest Russell without incident for a felony warrant for numerous grand theft charges out of Ventura County.
Russell, formerly of Thousand Oaks, was arrested and charged with numerous felonies alleged to have occurred from 2016 through 2021. The complaint charges Russell with 12 counts of grand theft, two counts of attempted grand theft, two counts of theft from an elder, six counts of money laundering, and two counts of possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon. Russell is also charged with a special allegation that he took more than $500,000 during the commission of the alleged crimes.
According to the Ventura County DA’s office, the investigation in this case also determined Russell resold interests in The DUI Nightmare without paying prior investors. This case was investigated by the District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation (BOI). The BOI believes there could be additional victims in this case, including investors in prior schemes.
The DUI Nightmare booklet was written by Russell after having to navigate the legal system after sharing a cell with a 20-year-old man three decades ago who had been responsible for a fatal DUI crash, according to an interview he gave the VC Star in 2016. Even though that image of the young man stuck with him, he also had DUIs in 2003 and 2010. He said the booklet was written to educate the public on the impact their actions make when driving drunk, and how to navigate the legal system. Ventura County law enforcement handed out copies of The DUI Nightmare at DUI checkpoints and everyday operations.
Russell is currently in custody at the Ventura County Jail with bail set at $600,000. On April 11, 2022, Russell was arraigned in Ventura County Superior Court and pled not guilty. A bail review hearing is scheduled for
May 2, 2022.
Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has requested anyone who has come in contact with George Russell or might have been frauded by him to come forward and contact either Ventura County District Attorney’s Office at (805) 232-3537 or DCSO at (775)-782-5126.