Flamboyant Texas swindler Billie Sol Estes dies

[IDemo]

Source: seattlepi.com

GRANBURY, Texas (AP) — Billie Sol Estes, a flamboyant Texas huckster who became one of the most notorious men in America in 1962 when he was accused of looting a federal crop subsidy program, has died. He was 88.

Estes, whose name became synonymous with Texas-sized schemes, greed and corruption, was found dead by a caretaker early Tuesday in his home in DeCordova Bend, a city about 60 miles southwest of Dallas, said Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds. A local funeral home confirmed it would be handling the services.

Estes reigned in the state as the king of con men for nearly 50 years. He was best known for the scandal that broke out during the Kennedy administration involving phony financial statements and non-existent fertilizer tanks.

Several lower-level agriculture officials resigned, and he wound up spending several years in prison. His name was often linked with that of fellow Texan Lyndon Johnson, but the late president's associates said their relationship was never as close or as sinister as the wheeler-dealer implied.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/texas/article/Flamboyant-Texas-swindler-Billie-Sol-Estes-dies-4515130.php

[The Magistrate]

1. Damn, Sir: Had No Idea He Was Still Alive...

I remember someone looking into his business back then committed suicide by shooting himself several times through the heart with a bolt action rifle....

[TexasProgresive]

4. That happened in my neighboring county, Robertson.

I was 11 to 13. I could not understand how someone could do that. And he was supposed to be trying to do himself in with CO with a hose to the exhaust and to his face. It just never made any sense to me.

By the way all Texans have Estes' initials on our hearts. B.S.

[susanr516]

7. I was a young child at the time

I don't know if my memory is accurate, but I remember the story as the man getting shot 5 times in the back, yet it was ruled a suicide.

Billie Sol was legendary in Texas.

[DonViejo]

2. LBJ should have resigned based on his relationship

with Estes. Oh wait, LBJ and friends say the Estes/LBJ relationship was never that close? No problem, Estes says differently, ergo, LBJ should have resigned.

BTW, Phyllis Schlafly was all for LBJ's impeachment, his alleged relationship with Estes being one of the reasons

[happyslug]

6. Given the well know relationship between JFK and LBJ, hard to put the blame on LBJ

We have to remember the big City bosses put LBJ on the ticket with JFK, JFK did NOT want LBJ. JFK had no respect for LBJ, even informing Prime Ministers in Countries LBJ was visiting as VP that LBJ did NOT speak for the Administration. Thus LBJ could not be blamed for the Scandal for JFK had made sure LBJ could have no import into his administration. Thus the problems were all done by loyalists to JFK not LBJ and they was no way JFK could switch the blame to LBJ, given the well known isolation LBJ had from most of the JFK administration.

[Pterodactyl]

8. I agree. LBJ should have resigned and America would have been saved a lot of trouble.

[rickyhall]

3. De Cordova Bend Estates in Granbury, TX

[madrchsod]

5. good god i remember that...

i was a sophomore in high school....