William J. McCorkle
Encyclopedia
William Joseph McCorkle is an American
businessman, former real estate guru and former owner of William McCorkle Seminars. In the 1990s he and his wife Chantal
created a number of late-night television infomercial
s, selling materials which purported to teach people how to make money buying foreclosed real estate properties. McCorkle and his wife Chantal
are currently serving prison time after being convicted on multiple counts of fraud
.
, they transferred most of the money they made to a bank account in the Cayman Islands
.
were charged in a multi-count indictment with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, laundering money, using fraudulently obtained credit cards, and using a false Social Security number. They were represented in court by F. Lee Bailey
. Following a two-month jury trial, both McCorkles were convicted and sentenced to prison time. McCorkle reportedly collapsed when the jury pronounced him guilty, and had to be taken to the hospital.
The McCorkles were each originally sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison under mandatory sentencing laws, but after two appeals, their sentences were reduced on March 14, 2006 to 18 years. Following their conviction and incarceration, Chantal McCorkle divorced her husband. William McCorkle has since transferred to a low-security "camp" prison in preparation for release. His Federal Prison register number is 23034-018 and his sentence expires on July 7, 2014. Chantal McCorkle was released from prison in June of 2010.
He has one sister, Tansey McCorkle Soderstrom, Co-owner of Stirling Sotheby Realty in Orlando,Florida
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman, former real estate guru and former owner of William McCorkle Seminars. In the 1990s he and his wife Chantal
Chantal McCorkle
Chantal Watts McCorkle is a British citizen. Along with William J. McCorkle , her American husband, she was tried and convicted in 1998 in Florida for her part in a financial fraud. The McCorkles sold kits purporting to show buyers how to get rich by buying property in foreclosures and...
created a number of late-night television infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
s, selling materials which purported to teach people how to make money buying foreclosed real estate properties. McCorkle and his wife Chantal
Chantal McCorkle
Chantal Watts McCorkle is a British citizen. Along with William J. McCorkle , her American husband, she was tried and convicted in 1998 in Florida for her part in a financial fraud. The McCorkles sold kits purporting to show buyers how to get rich by buying property in foreclosures and...
are currently serving prison time after being convicted on multiple counts of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
.
History
McCorkle, born William Joseph Gonzalez, later took the last name of a stepfather. William J. McCorkle attended Bishop Moore High School in Orlando, Florida, graduating in 1984. He worked in a number of jobs, including busing tables and exotic dancing, before turning to real estate as a career.Infomercials
In his infomercials, McCorkle represented himself as having made millions of dollars from the "real estate secrets" he was selling. The infomercials showed McCorkle and his wife in expensive homes, luxury cars and helicopters bearing his name—all of which had been leased for the infomercials. Others who appeared in the infomercials, affirming that the McCorkle Seminars had made them rich, were paid actors. Although the McCorkles lived in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, they transferred most of the money they made to a bank account in the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
.
Trial and conviction
William and Chantal McCorkleChantal McCorkle
Chantal Watts McCorkle is a British citizen. Along with William J. McCorkle , her American husband, she was tried and convicted in 1998 in Florida for her part in a financial fraud. The McCorkles sold kits purporting to show buyers how to get rich by buying property in foreclosures and...
were charged in a multi-count indictment with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, laundering money, using fraudulently obtained credit cards, and using a false Social Security number. They were represented in court by F. Lee Bailey
Francis Lee Bailey
Francis Lee Bailey Jr., commonly referred to as F. Lee Bailey, is a former attorney in Massachusetts and Florida. He was a criminal defense lawyer who served as the lawyer in the Sam Sheppard re-trial. He was also the supervisory attorney over attorney Mark J...
. Following a two-month jury trial, both McCorkles were convicted and sentenced to prison time. McCorkle reportedly collapsed when the jury pronounced him guilty, and had to be taken to the hospital.
The McCorkles were each originally sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison under mandatory sentencing laws, but after two appeals, their sentences were reduced on March 14, 2006 to 18 years. Following their conviction and incarceration, Chantal McCorkle divorced her husband. William McCorkle has since transferred to a low-security "camp" prison in preparation for release. His Federal Prison register number is 23034-018 and his sentence expires on July 7, 2014. Chantal McCorkle was released from prison in June of 2010.
He has one sister, Tansey McCorkle Soderstrom, Co-owner of Stirling Sotheby Realty in Orlando,Florida