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US man fails Bond-esque underwater escape from FBI using 'sea scooter'

MikeHattsu

MikeHattsu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,939
www.bbc.com

US man fails Bond-esque underwater escape from FBI using 'sea scooter'

Agents watched the suspect's bubbles rise to the surface for 25 minutes before he emerged and was handcuffed.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com

Matthew Piercey, 44, a California man accused of financial crimes, briefly evaded justice when the FBI tried to arrest him on Monday morning.

He first fled by car and then used a sea scooter to hide from agents underwater in a frigid lake.

Officials said that when they moved in to arrest Mr Piercey he fled in a pickup truck, twice driving off the road, before he was seen jumping in to the lake near the city of Redding with a strange device in his hand.
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Agents watched his bubbles on the surface for around 25 minutes before he emerged and was handcuffed.

Sea scooters, also known as diver propulsion vehicles, are underwater devices that can pull a person wearing scuba gear. They were used for the underwater battle in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball and have been employed by real life militaries around the world.

Police later learned that the model he used, a Yamaha 350Li, can reach speeds of 4mph (6.5km/h) and can travel 100ft underwater.
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He is accused of leading a $35m (£27m) Ponzi scheme at his local church.

Investigators say that he and his business partner Kenneth Winton used funds invested in their companies, Family Wealth Legacy and Zolla, to pay for personal expenses, and that few liquid assets remained for them to return to clients.

Mr Piercey is charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and witness tampering and is facing 20 years in prison.
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Joshua

Joshua

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,740
That is hilarious. They just watched the bubbles the whole time - I wonder if he spent those 25 minutes thinking he was some genius?
 
Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse

Member
Nov 2, 2017
2,941
Joshua said:
That is hilarious. They just watched the bubbles the whole time - I wonder if he spent those 25 minutes thinking he was some genius?
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I like to think the FBI agents had a good sense of humor and upon seeing the bubbles set up lawn chairs next to the lake and started casting fishing lines.
 
hockeypuck

hockeypuck

Member
Oct 29, 2017
740
It's not the sea scooter that's impressive, it's the observation that the suspect must've already had on SCUBA gear (thick wet suit, filled air tank, regulator) before fleeing. May have been just about to head out for a cold water recreational dive. Otherwise, I have no idea how he survived 30+ minutes under cold water.
 
mopinks

mopinks

Member
Oct 27, 2017
30,585
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John Doe

Avenger
Jan 24, 2018
3,443
The real big part of this story is that he managed to run a 35 million Ponzi scheme at his local church.

How big is that church or are how minted are its members?
 
grand

grand

Member
Oct 25, 2017
25,048
hockeypuck said:
It's not the sea scooter that's impressive, it's the observation that the suspect must've already had on SCUBA gear (thick wet suit, filled air tank, regulator) before fleeing. May have been just about to head out for a cold water recreational dive. Otherwise, I have no idea how he survived 30+ minutes under cold water.
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Seems like this is the news article embellishing on the water's temp. I checked the California water data for the lake and it's been reaching a temperature high of 66° F for the last few days. Depending on when he attempted to pull a Bond, it was still chilly but certainly not "frigid".
 
qaopjlll

qaopjlll

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,792
Aww i was hoping he tried the View to a Kill thing and drove his car into the lake, swam out and inhaled the air from his tires. Although I suppose anything he tried was doomed to failure since presumably the FBI would want to recover his body even if they assumed he drowned after they saw him go into the lake.
 
Sirhc

Sirhc

Hasn't made a thread yet. Shame me.
Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,055
I am more perplexed at the usefulness of a device that can only propel you 100ft under water? like you use it for a few seconds and that's it?
 

Deleted member 26039

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
2,550
Should have got a machine that could go deeper than 100 feet to go see the old mining town under Shasta lake before he was thrown in jail.
 
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