Opening their arms to every extremist group, no matter how absurd, has become a thorn in the elephant’s side, that sometimes gives rise to humor. This is one such such case. While it’s political significance is nil, it’s quite entertaining to see a wing-nut hoist on his own petard.
This is a story for the “So you thought rich business owners are smarter than you are” file.
A man who epitomizes the American dream – a Greek immigrant who started out as a cook in a Giordano’s Pizza restaurant in Chicago and rose to become owner of the 45-location chain – is on the verge of losing it all, in part because he has resorted to pseudo-legal tactics favored by antigovernment “sovereign citizens.”
John Apostolou has owned Giordano’s since 1988, but a bankruptcy judge last month seized control of the business and banned Apostolou from the premises. The trustee appointed to run the business as it deals with its $45.5 million bank debt told the court: “Because of certain perspectives that the Apostolous have … they have done a few things that merit this court’s attention. … Perhaps it contributed to the lack of confidence that creditors have and certainly were part of the reason that I wanted them removed as fiduciaries.”
What Apostolou did to “merit the court’s attention,” according to the Chicago Tribune, was to file legally bogus affidavits in court. One asserted that he and his wife, who co-owns the business, don’t recognize U.S. currency and are free of any legal constraints. Another sought to terminate Apostolou’s bankruptcy by alleging bank fraud and other misdeeds.
It’s ironic that an ambitious immigrant who made his fortune in the United States now claims he isn’t subject to its legal authority. Sovereign citizens generally believe they can remove themselves from the jurisdiction of state and federal government, so that they don’t need to pay taxes or use any form of government documentation such as driver’s licenses or automobile license tags… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <SPLC>
They should have learned the Eleventh Commandment:
Thou shalt not commit Teabuggery!
8 Responses to “Hoist on His Own Petard”
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or the twelfth…Thou shall not intentionally act out of ignorant stupidity because in every case the government and then the bank will win. If he was a sovereign not obligated to the legal code of the United States then why dd he file for bankruptcy in the past?
That was too obvious to notice. Thanks Mark!
When will this happen to corporations, banks and Wall St? They don’t pay any taxes because of money in offshore accounts.
It will happen when Democrats have a majority in the house and 60 in the Senate in addition to Blue Dogs and DINOs.
~~”he and his wife, who co-owns the business, don’t recognize U.S. currency”~~
I’ll bet they recognized the currency at the cash register! 😈
LOL!!! Amen to that!
It was great pizza– smart man–not smart enough
Phyllis, I’ve had their pizza too, and it was excellent. Too bad he believed the Republican extremists that preach sovereignty.