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Joseph A. Cafasso

Joseph Anthony Cafasso Jr. (born August 2, 1956) is an American former Fox News consultant on military and counterterrorism issues who left the network in 2002 after it was discovered he was a military imposter. Cafasso claimed to have been a retired Special Forces lieutenant colonel who was a Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Silver Star, but his official service records showed he had been administratively separated in 1976 during basic training after 44 days.

Joseph Anthony Cafasso Jr.
Born (1956-08-02) August 2, 1956 (age 66)
OccupationFormer consultant

Early life

Born in 1956 to Joseph A. Cafasso Sr. and Giovanna "Jenny" Cafasso (née Mosca), Cafasso was raised in Carteret, New Jersey. He has four sisters and one brother. Cafasso graduated from Carteret High School before enlisting in the Army in 1976.[1]

TWA Flight 800 investigation

In the late 1990s, Cafasso became involved with events following the crash of TWA Flight 800 through his association with the Associated Retired Aviation Professionals (ARAP), an organization that claimed to be conducting its own independent investigation into the cause of the crash.[citation needed] Some time thereafter, members of the group began questioning Cafasso's military background, and, according to Donaldson, Cafasso would not produce his official record when requested to do so. As a result, Donaldson disassociated his organization from Cafasso.[2]

Political activities

Prior to his employment with Fox News, Cafasso had worked for the Pat Buchanan 2000 presidential campaign, fundraising and running petition drives.[3] Official campaign finance records show that Cafasso was being reimbursed by the Buchanan campaign committee for travel and other expenses.[4]

He also became involved with a humanitarian organization led by Serbian-American activist David Vuich that was seeking to help people in Yugoslavia in the aftermath of the 1999 NATO bombing campaign.[2]

Departure from Fox News

Cafasso had claimed to have been a retired lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces, a veteran of the Vietnam War, a recipient of the Silver Star, and a participant in Operation Eagle Claw. However, his official military record indicated that he served only 44 days in the U.S. Army from May to June 1976, being administratively separated from the service.[2]

Around the time the New York Times was developing a story about Cafasso he sent the newspaper an email claiming that his leaving Fox News was tantamount to "political assassination by a group of self-centered individuals with their own political agendas."[5]

Cafasso appeared briefly in Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, the 2004 documentary film that made the argument that Fox News had a right-wing bias. In it he delivers a short comment on decision-making at the network, comparing it to what he calls the "Christian fundamentalist movement".[6]

In an interview published in a companion book to the film, Cafasso hinted at seeing evidence of "right-wing religious extremism" at the network, and claimed that Fox vice president and Washington, D.C. bureau chief Kim Hume once asked him whether he was "an angel."[7]

Religious activities

According to a 2007 article published in the Simpson County News, under the nickname "Jay", Cafasso was referenced as Director of Development for Mendenhall Ministries in Mendenhall, Mississippi, and was investigated by the local authorities who discovered that he had a long history of using many pseudonyms, claiming credentials he did not have, and claiming illness. In that article, Mendenhall Mayor Neely is quoted as saying that the last time he had seen him, Cafasso said he was going to St. Dominic's to have his gall bladder removed. The article concludes "It is suspected warrants exist for him under other names" and urges "anyone with information regarding this man" to contact the Simpson County Sheriff or a Mendenhall Police investigator.[8][9]

Arrests

Cafasso was arrested January 21, 2009 in Porter County, Indiana on a failure to appear warrant. He had previously been arrested in Porter County in 2008 for speeding, driving with a suspended license, and giving false information to police and did not appear as scheduled to address those charges.[10] The alias he had been using in Indiana was "Robert Stormer"; the authenticity of Stormer's identity had previously been challenged by a journalist in October 2007.[11] His other alleged aliases mentioned in news coverage are "Jay Mosca" and "Gerry Blackwood" and the Internet handle "Shipdude", allegedly used on dating sites.[9]

At the time of his arrests, Cafasso had been living with a 63-year-old woman whom he had befriended under a false name via a dating site. According to her son, Cafasso defrauded her of her life savings.[12] After Cafasso's January arrest, convicted criminal Jack Idema, who spoke as a consultant on one occasion for a local Fox News affiliate, attempted to obtain a laptop computer that had been used by Cafasso from the woman he had been living with. She turned it over to police.[13] The social security number Cafasso gave police at the time of his arrest belonged to a 13-year-old girl living in Rhode Island. Cafasso also reportedly told the arresting officer that he was hiding from the CIA and the FBI.[14]

References

  1. ^
    • Rutenberg, Jim. "At Fox News, the Colonel Who Wasn't", The New York Times, April 29, 2002. Accessed August 18, 2021. "Born in 1956, he graduated from Carteret High School in Carteret, N.J., military records show."
    • "Obituary: Giovanna Cafasso, Carteret, 82". ID: bru60116151. Home News Tribune. August 14, 2006.
  2. ^ a b c Rutenberg, Jim (April 29, 2002). "At Fox News, The Colonel Who Wasn't". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Gilliam, Todd J. (May 9, 2000). "Buchanan secures Texas spot for Reform in presidential bid". The Dallas Morning News. Joe Cafasso, the campaign worker who coordinated the statewide effort from an Irving hotel room, said he had expected to need 'body armor' when he arrived in Bush territory but found the Texans highly receptive.
  4. ^ "Itemized Disbursements, Committee: Buchanan Reform, Inc". Federal Election Commission. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
  5. ^ "Fake war hero who outfoxed TV network terminated". The Age Online. May 2, 2002. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  6. ^ (PDF). Carolina Productions. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-08-04.
  7. ^ Kitty, Alexandra; Robert Greenwald (April 1, 2005). Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War On Journalism. The Disinformation Company. p. 251.
  8. ^ Clara Aucoin, "Con Man Blows Mendenhall", Simpson County News, Thursday, April 19, 2007, Section A, page 14. Cafasso had previously used the nickname "Jay" in connection with involvement with religious organizations' rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina.
  9. ^ a b Expert in many fields only an expert in cons 2009-03-09 at the Wayback Machine by Andy Grimm, Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, March 1, 2009.
  10. ^
    • crimeTimes[permanent dead link], The Northwest Indiana & Illinois Newspaper, Saturday, January 24, 2009.
    • FBI now investigating 'spy' arrested at Dunes 2009-02-23 at the Wayback Machine, Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, February 20, 2009.
    • Traffic stop leads to big scam investigation, Chicago Breaking News (a service of the Chicago Tribune), February 7, 2009.
  11. ^ RPI Can’t Produce Claimed Ethan Allen Thesis, North Country Gazette, Friday, October 19, 2007: "Attempts to verify his military credentials were unsuccessful. When Paul Harral, editorial page of the Fort Worth Star Telegram was contacted and asked if he could verify Stormer’s credentials, he said he could not. He said he had requested them and would have them by "the end of the week". However, as of Friday, no credentials had been produced."
  12. ^ Son says con man bilked his mother of savings 2009-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, March 1, 2009.
  13. ^
    • Woman learns beau is apparent con artist, crimeTimes, The Northwest Indiana & Illinois Newspaper, February 4, 2009. " A 63-year-old Tefft, Ind. woman, whose son lives in Chesterton, told Chesterton police on Monday a man she met through an online dating service claimed to be Robert Stormer, but really was Joe Cafasso, a con artist . . ."
    • Laptop may hold key to high-level scam 2009-02-28 at the Wayback Machine, Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, February 7, 2009.
  14. ^ Joe Cafasso, aka Bob Stormer, in custody on FTA charge 2009-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, Chesterton Tribune, 2/18/2009.

External links

  • Article from October 24, 2004 issue of LA Weekly examining military imposters and efforts to discredit them cites Cafasso as an example.
  • , Philosophy & Public Policy Quarterly, Volume 23, Numbers 1/2 (Winter/Spring 2003). Discusses Cafasso's engagement to the author's friend in the context of the policy implications of lying.
  • as publisher of The Broken Arrow, believed to be one-time online newsletter of the Association of Retired Aviation Professionals.
  • Nuke transportation story has explosive implications by "Robert Stormer" with the bio "Robert Stormer of Chicago is a retired lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve, serving with the Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage, and was a specialist in weapons retrieval. He is a marine engineer and marine salvage specialist." Originally appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sunday, October 7, 2007. Reprinted on No Quarter, the website of former CIA analyst & former Fox News consultant Larry C. Johnson.

joseph, cafasso, roman, catholic, priest, made, saint, joseph, cafasso, joseph, anthony, cafasso, born, august, 1956, american, former, news, consultant, military, counterterrorism, issues, left, network, 2002, after, discovered, military, imposter, cafasso, c. For the Roman Catholic priest who was made a saint see Joseph Cafasso Joseph Anthony Cafasso Jr born August 2 1956 is an American former Fox News consultant on military and counterterrorism issues who left the network in 2002 after it was discovered he was a military imposter Cafasso claimed to have been a retired Special Forces lieutenant colonel who was a Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Silver Star but his official service records showed he had been administratively separated in 1976 during basic training after 44 days Joseph Anthony Cafasso Jr Born 1956 08 02 August 2 1956 age 66 Carteret New JerseyOccupationFormer consultant Contents 1 Early life 2 TWA Flight 800 investigation 3 Political activities 4 Departure from Fox News 5 Religious activities 6 Arrests 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditBorn in 1956 to Joseph A Cafasso Sr and Giovanna Jenny Cafasso nee Mosca Cafasso was raised in Carteret New Jersey He has four sisters and one brother Cafasso graduated from Carteret High School before enlisting in the Army in 1976 1 TWA Flight 800 investigation EditIn the late 1990s Cafasso became involved with events following the crash of TWA Flight 800 through his association with the Associated Retired Aviation Professionals ARAP an organization that claimed to be conducting its own independent investigation into the cause of the crash citation needed Some time thereafter members of the group began questioning Cafasso s military background and according to Donaldson Cafasso would not produce his official record when requested to do so As a result Donaldson disassociated his organization from Cafasso 2 Political activities EditPrior to his employment with Fox News Cafasso had worked for the Pat Buchanan 2000 presidential campaign fundraising and running petition drives 3 Official campaign finance records show that Cafasso was being reimbursed by the Buchanan campaign committee for travel and other expenses 4 He also became involved with a humanitarian organization led by Serbian American activist David Vuich that was seeking to help people in Yugoslavia in the aftermath of the 1999 NATO bombing campaign 2 Departure from Fox News EditCafasso had claimed to have been a retired lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces a veteran of the Vietnam War a recipient of the Silver Star and a participant in Operation Eagle Claw However his official military record indicated that he served only 44 days in the U S Army from May to June 1976 being administratively separated from the service 2 Around the time the New York Times was developing a story about Cafasso he sent the newspaper an email claiming that his leaving Fox News was tantamount to political assassination by a group of self centered individuals with their own political agendas 5 Cafasso appeared briefly in Outfoxed Rupert Murdoch s War on Journalism the 2004 documentary film that made the argument that Fox News had a right wing bias In it he delivers a short comment on decision making at the network comparing it to what he calls the Christian fundamentalist movement 6 In an interview published in a companion book to the film Cafasso hinted at seeing evidence of right wing religious extremism at the network and claimed that Fox vice president and Washington D C bureau chief Kim Hume once asked him whether he was an angel 7 Religious activities EditAccording to a 2007 article published in the Simpson County News under the nickname Jay Cafasso was referenced as Director of Development for Mendenhall Ministries in Mendenhall Mississippi and was investigated by the local authorities who discovered that he had a long history of using many pseudonyms claiming credentials he did not have and claiming illness In that article Mendenhall Mayor Neely is quoted as saying that the last time he had seen him Cafasso said he was going to St Dominic s to have his gall bladder removed The article concludes It is suspected warrants exist for him under other names and urges anyone with information regarding this man to contact the Simpson County Sheriff or a Mendenhall Police investigator 8 9 Arrests EditCafasso was arrested January 21 2009 in Porter County Indiana on a failure to appear warrant He had previously been arrested in Porter County in 2008 for speeding driving with a suspended license and giving false information to police and did not appear as scheduled to address those charges 10 The alias he had been using in Indiana was Robert Stormer the authenticity of Stormer s identity had previously been challenged by a journalist in October 2007 11 His other alleged aliases mentioned in news coverage are Jay Mosca and Gerry Blackwood and the Internet handle Shipdude allegedly used on dating sites 9 At the time of his arrests Cafasso had been living with a 63 year old woman whom he had befriended under a false name via a dating site According to her son Cafasso defrauded her of her life savings 12 After Cafasso s January arrest convicted criminal Jack Idema who spoke as a consultant on one occasion for a local Fox News affiliate attempted to obtain a laptop computer that had been used by Cafasso from the woman he had been living with She turned it over to police 13 The social security number Cafasso gave police at the time of his arrest belonged to a 13 year old girl living in Rhode Island Cafasso also reportedly told the arresting officer that he was hiding from the CIA and the FBI 14 References Edit Rutenberg Jim At Fox News the Colonel Who Wasn t The New York Times April 29 2002 Accessed August 18 2021 Born in 1956 he graduated from Carteret High School in Carteret N J military records show Obituary Giovanna Cafasso Carteret 82 ID bru60116151 Home News Tribune August 14 2006 a b c Rutenberg Jim April 29 2002 At Fox News The Colonel Who Wasn t The New York Times Gilliam Todd J May 9 2000 Buchanan secures Texas spot for Reform in presidential bid The Dallas Morning News Joe Cafasso the campaign worker who coordinated the statewide effort from an Irving hotel room said he had expected to need body armor when he arrived in Bush territory but found the Texans highly receptive Itemized Disbursements Committee Buchanan Reform Inc Federal Election Commission Retrieved 2007 04 05 Fake war hero who outfoxed TV network terminated The Age Online May 2 2002 Retrieved 2007 04 04 Outfoxed Rupert Murdoch s War on Journalism FULL TRANSCRIPT PDF Carolina Productions Archived from the original PDF on 2004 08 04 Kitty Alexandra Robert Greenwald April 1 2005 Outfoxed Rupert Murdoch s War On Journalism The Disinformation Company p 251 Clara Aucoin Con Man Blows Mendenhall Simpson County News Thursday April 19 2007 Section A page 14 Cafasso had previously used the nickname Jay in connection with involvement with religious organizations rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina a b Expert in many fields only an expert in cons Archived 2009 03 09 at the Wayback Machine by Andy Grimm Post Tribune of Northwest Indiana March 1 2009 crimeTimes permanent dead link The Northwest Indiana amp Illinois Newspaper Saturday January 24 2009 FBI now investigating spy arrested at Dunes Archived 2009 02 23 at the Wayback Machine Post Tribune of Northwest Indiana February 20 2009 Traffic stop leads to big scam investigation Chicago Breaking News a service of the Chicago Tribune February 7 2009 RPI Can t Produce Claimed Ethan Allen Thesis North Country Gazette Friday October 19 2007 Attempts to verify his military credentials were unsuccessful When Paul Harral editorial page of the Fort Worth Star Telegram was contacted and asked if he could verify Stormer s credentials he said he could not He said he had requested them and would have them by the end of the week However as of Friday no credentials had been produced Son says con man bilked his mother of savings Archived 2009 03 04 at the Wayback Machine Post Tribune of Northwest Indiana March 1 2009 Woman learns beau is apparent con artist crimeTimes The Northwest Indiana amp Illinois Newspaper February 4 2009 A 63 year old Tefft Ind woman whose son lives in Chesterton told Chesterton police on Monday a man she met through an online dating service claimed to be Robert Stormer but really was Joe Cafasso a con artist Laptop may hold key to high level scam Archived 2009 02 28 at the Wayback Machine Post Tribune of Northwest Indiana February 7 2009 Joe Cafasso aka Bob Stormer in custody on FTA charge Archived 2009 02 22 at the Wayback Machine Chesterton Tribune 2 18 2009 External links EditArticle from October 24 2004 issue of LA Weekly examining military imposters and efforts to discredit them cites Cafasso as an example Verna V Gehring Phonies Fakes and Frauds and the Social Harms They Cause PDF Philosophy amp Public Policy Quarterly Volume 23 Numbers 1 2 Winter Spring 2003 Discusses Cafasso s engagement to the author s friend in the context of the policy implications of lying Email communication from Joseph Cafasso as publisher of The Broken Arrow believed to be one time online newsletter of the Association of Retired Aviation Professionals Nuke transportation story has explosive implications by Robert Stormer with the bio Robert Stormer of Chicago is a retired lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve serving with the Navy s Supervisor of Salvage and was a specialist in weapons retrieval He is a marine engineer and marine salvage specialist Originally appeared in the Fort Worth Star Telegram Sunday October 7 2007 Reprinted on No Quarter the website of former CIA analyst amp former Fox News consultant Larry C Johnson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph A Cafasso amp oldid 1088109071, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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