SC’s First “Facebook Friend” Scandal?

By fitsnews • on March 20, 2009
Comment Print

bauer-friend-m

We’ve written plenty of less-than-flattering articles about S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, but surprisingly this isn’t going to be one of them.

After all, you can only take the “guilt by association” theme so far, and we’d hate to be seen as overreaching.

Anyway, Pascal Andre Etcheber -the French national whose arrest in connection with the Thomas Ravenel cocaine case made statewide headlines yesterday – is “Facebook Friends” with the Lt. Governor.

You can click the image below to see for yourself …

bauer-friend-facebook

What does this mean, exactly?

Probably nothing.

We’ve heard rumors about Bauer and cocaine before, but we’ve never seen a shred of evidence to back them up. We’ve also heard that the Lt. Governor has convincingly dispelled those rumors by volunteering to take a hair follicle test.

As FITS readers will no doubt remember, Bauer was anonymously accused of cocaine use last year by current Wolfe Reports author Wes Wolfe.

Wolfe was forced to publicly apologize and shut down his old blog as a result of the flap, leading us to believe that the accusation had no substance.

All we know for now is that Etcheber has been indicted for lying to federal agents in October 2007 about “his involvement in the illegal possession, use and distribution of cocaine, and his knowledge of drug activities of other persons.” And obviously, we know that Etcheber and Bauer are “Facebook Friends.”

We’re sure Bauer’s two gubernatorial opponents will likely make hay about this at some point, but we honestly have a hard time seeing how you can hold somebody accountable for the actions of their “Facebook Friends.”

In other words, while there are a million and one reasons not to support Bauer’s presumptive bid for governor – we don’t see this as one of them.

Of course, if a big scandal does break as a result of this we’ll probably sell a lot of our Andre Is My Co-Pilot T-Shirts …

WEB EXTRA:

Fourth man arrested in connection with Ravenel cocaine case (Charleston Post and Courier)

Match.com

Comments

By Wes Wolfe on March 20th, 2009 at 4:09 am

Love to love ya, baby.

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 6:21 am

“The indictment accuses Etcheber of knowingly giving fraudulent statements when he was interviewed by FBI and immigration agents in late October 2007. The subject matter concerned “his involvement in the illegal possession, use and distribution of cocaine, and his knowledge of drug activities of other persons,” according to federal court papers”.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/mar/20/th_person_indicted_ravenel_case75798/

By Richard on March 20th, 2009 at 6:32 am

Bauer’s Facebook page is a portrait of shameless self-promotion. He apparently believes we are all rubes, and perhaps he is correct. The upcoming election will tell all.

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 8:08 am

CHARLESTON COUNTY ONLINE TAX SYSTEM

Property Type
Motor Vehicles

ETCHEBER PASCAL – Tax Address: 2009
32 LENWOOD BLVD
CHARLESTON SC 29401

ETCHEBER PASCAL – Tax Address 2008
8 MURRAY BLVD
CHARLESTON SC 29401

ETCHEBER PASCAL – Tax Address: 2006
12 JOHN ST
CHARLESTON SC 29403

ETCHEBER PASCAL – Tax Address: 2006
1928 HUBBELL DR
MT PLEASANT SC 29466

ETCHEBER PASCAL – Tax Address: 2004
105 EAST BAY ST
CHARLESTON SC 29401

http://taxweb.charlestoncounty.org/conne……

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 8:19 am

Ravenel co-defendant flees
Pellicoro, suspect in cocaine case, claims he is staying in Switzerland

The Post and Courier
Thursday, September 6, 2007

Pasquale Pellicoro

Pellicoro, suspect in cocaine case, claims he is staying in Switzerland

COLUMBIA — The Mount Pleasant wine merchant indicted in the Thomas Ravenel cocaine case is on the run.

And, if his story is true, he’s in Switzerland.

Pasquale Pellicoro was a no-show for his arraignment here Wednesday on a charge of distributing cocaine, prompting U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph McCrorey to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Hours later, Pellicoro, 53, told The Post and Courier during a phone interview that he couldn’t find a lawyer to take his case, so he opted to leave the country about three days ago.

Wednesday’s arraignment would have been Pellicoro’s first court appearance since he was named in a superseding cocaine indictment Aug. 22 in the Ravenel case.

He said he got to know Ravenel through a circle of friends who were interested in the arts and would meet to share stories. They came from all over, he said, including Atlanta, Los Angeles and Paris.

“Thomas was always mixing people together,” Pellicoro said. He has “always been very eclectic.” Many different languages were spoken in his house, he said.

One routine was to get together at friends’ homes, including Ravenel’s, after Charleston’s bars closed at 2 a.m, he said.

FULL STORY:
http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/sep/06/ravenel_co_defendant_flees15078/

By walter david on March 20th, 2009 at 10:32 am

Anonymous:

Please connect the dots on why the addresses listed above are important.

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 11:40 am

“Please connect the dots on why the addresses listed above are important”.

Thomas Ravenel Purchase Price $3,250,000.00
24 Church St
Charleston, SC 29401-2744
http://ccgisweb.charlestoncounty.org/website/Charleston/viewer.htm

ETCHEBER PASCAL -(Address 2008) FINAL VALUE: $2,751,000.00
8 MURRAY BLVD
CHARLESTON SC 29401

http://ccgisweb.charlestoncounty.org/website/Charleston/viewer.htm

SEE MAP – Distance from 24 Church Street to 8 Murray Blvd.
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Charleston&1s=SC&1a=8+Murray+Blvd&1z=29401-2312&1y=US&1l=32.769585&1g=-79.932675&1v=ADDRESS&2ai=24+Church+St%2C+Charleston%2C+SC+29401-2744&2c=Charleston&2s=SC&2a=24+Church+St&2z=29401-2744&2y=US&2l=32.771901&2g=-79.929483&2v=ADDRESS

First: location, location, location(Proximity to Ravenel’s Address)
Second: Tax records indicate he was in Charleston since at least 2004
Third: These first two are no ordinary residences

***************************************************************************

FOR SALE:

Address: ETCHEBER PASCAL (Address in 2009)
32 Lenwood Boulevard,
Charleston, SC, 29401

Price: $2,275,000

http://www.fizber.com/south-carolina-buy...

***************************************************************************
SEE MAP – Distance from 24 Church Street to 32 Lenwood Blvd.
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Charleston&1s=SC&1a=32+Lenwood+Blvd&1z=29401-2303&1y=US&1l=32.771178&1g=-79.935432&1v=ADDRESS&2ai=24+Church+St%2C+Charleston%2C+SC+29401-2744&2c=Charleston&2s=SC&2a=24+Church+St&2z=29401-2744&2y=US&2l=32.771901&2g=-79.929483&2v=ADDRESS

**********************************************************************

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 12:14 pm

Posted by martin

GREAT. This investigation was stopped when US Attorney Reg Lloyd LET the Italian co-conspirator flee the country. The Judge at Ravenel’s sentencing hearing was stunned at how little he cooperated. Let’s finish this up and get the rich, politically connected, friends-of Thomas-and-Mark, coke-heads in Charleston. Why shouldn’t the laws apply to them??? Now that someone other than the guy who wanted to be the first black SLED chief (after Mark rewarded him for showing his incompetence by letting the Italian get away) is in charge, maybe the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth will come out.

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 12:54 pm

Florence Etcheber on FACEBOOK

Friend of Pascal Etcheber

This kid looks like he’s smoking marijuana/cigarette

http://www.facebook.com/people/Florence-Etcheber/1302195068

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 1:52 pm

After he graduated in 1985, Ravenel wandered aimlessly for a while, working alternately as a carpenter, handyman, lawn mower, painter, landscaper. He ran for the state House, his first foray into the politics he’d grown up around, but didn’t win.

It soon turned around for Ravenel when he got his real estate license. He began selling houses and land — “whatever I could,” Ravenel said in 2004. He borrowed money from his father to get an MBA at the University of South Carolina in 1991, then started the Ravenel Development Corp. It was a success, allowing him to quickly repay his father.

During the next decade, Ravenel developed 60 shopping centers in 10 states, beginning with buildings to house Advance Auto Parts stores. He became a business landlord and learned a lot about banking. He started building grocery stores. The only thing his businesses had in common was that they made money.

From 1991-95, he was in Atlanta and returned to South Carolina in ‘95. He started campaigning for the Senate in ‘02. In 2004, he reported his net-worth at $34,000,000.00

UH? UH? Let’s see, Ravenel made 34 MILLION DOLLARS in less than ten years. Hmmm, all that experience cutting grass and as a handyman sure paid off, maybe he met some illegal aliens while landscaping. Oh, and by the way, shopping centers will NOT return that kind of return on your investmment, I don’t care how many shopping centers you buy, you could buy a thousand shopping centers and you would not make $34,000,000.00 Sorry, it’s just not possible. Shopping Center returns, even with leverage will return about 15% per year, if you’re real lucky. For, Ravenel to go from ZERO NET-WORTH to 34 million in flipping real estate, no way. It ain’t happening no way no how.

Besides, he was too busy sticking cocaine up his nose and distributing to his friends and traveling to Europe and Central and South America to get serious about Shopping Centers. And the Real Estate, well that was just a side thing, just to keep the monies clean.

By ctic on March 20th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

In contrast, anonymous/AMAZING –

If meddling people wouldn’t have lured him* into this trap, he could have likely turned SC’s empty coffers into a healthy surplus.

* Yes, it was entrapment.

By anonymous on March 20th, 2009 at 3:57 pm

RE:
24 Church Street
Charleston, SC

ON 1/31/2002
Linda G. Katezenbach
SOLD TO:
Thomas J.J. Ravenel

SALES PRICE: $2,000,000.00
******************************

05/15/2006
RE:
24 Church Street
Charleston, SC

Thomas J.J. Ravenel
SOLD TO:
Andrew J. Cooley and Mary T. Cooley

SALES PRICE:$3,225,000.00
*************************************

09/15/2006
RE:
24 Church Street
Charleston, SC

Andrew J. Cooley and Mary T. Cooley
SOLD TO:
Thomas J.J. Ravenel

SALES PRICE:$3,250,000.00

http://www.charlestoncounty.org

By ctic on March 20th, 2009 at 7:16 pm

Also, what are the odds of two people with the same name (Pasquale/Pascal) from two different countries mingling with T-Rav in Charleston, South Carolina? I mean, really. That seems awfully odd!

Certain people around here always like to make sure there are two people with the same name in the same situation — just to confuse the issue and aggravate the hell out of people.

By lou on March 20th, 2009 at 8:41 pm

Building shopping centers, grocery stores, drug stores, etc… yes sorry, those contracts are more than likely worth 34 million. His competator in the biz made about the same thing… absolutely no drugs at the competator…. none never.
So I believe Ravenel made his worth building in the commercial contruction biz. Yes indeed.
Disclosure: I am no fan of any Republican but I believe in the truth.

By Mab on March 21st, 2009 at 10:57 am

Yay for Lou! Likewise, I LOVE me some Dems that will tell the truth!

There is hope for us yet.

By anonymous on March 21st, 2009 at 12:21 pm

The Alpha and Beta of Thomas Ravenel

WATCH VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELhgDjrSltQ

BOY! WAS HE WRONG!

IT’S A GOOD THING HE WASN”T THE STATE TREASURER FOR VERY LONG!

By anonymous on March 21st, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Ravenel doesn’t speak the truth, he just makes stuff up!

says Grady Patterson, former State Treasurer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL5h3a_wE2M

By Chloe on March 21st, 2009 at 6:59 pm

Wow! T. Rav is slick. But he’s not nearly as facile as the Clintons at creating, cold, hard cash!

(not enough China in the bag)

By anonymous on March 23rd, 2009 at 4:13 am

Lt. Governor Andre Bauer Does Dubai, but Don’t Tell Anyone…. It’s Confidential

South Carolina “trade mission” to visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi

A delegation of 24 officials and businessmen from Orangeburg, the US county in which Jafza Americas is developing its $600 million (Dh2.2 billion), 1,324-acre project, is in the UAE on South Carolina state’s first trade mission to the UAE.

The delegation is being led by Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer and includes representatives of state and local governments and businesses.

It also includes members of the South Carolina legislature, officials from Orangeburg County, representatives of one of the state’s largest law firms, it’s largest electric co-operative, and the University of South Carolina.

The names of businesses participating in the mission, that arrived on Friday and will visit both Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the next eight days, are being kept confidential by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, which is facilitating the trip.

However, six of the participating companies are receiving “Gold Key Service” from the US Commercial Service during their stay, meaning they will have a series of meetings set up with potential buyers of their products while in the UAE.

The trip pairs South Carolina businesses and officials with potential trade partners in the UAE, according to Kara Borie, spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce.

Later this year, the department will facilitate trade missions to Poland, Columbia, and two missions to Panama.

http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/3/Pages/03232009_d34dbdcceb0d498a866e510bf9b824d5.aspx

********************************************************************

By the way, what is South Carolins going to be trading with Dubai? OIL?

I know, we can trade chicken wings for oil?

How about Columbia and Panama? What does Columbia export? Legally?

NOTHING!

By anonymous on March 24th, 2009 at 5:39 pm

Etcheber released on $250,000 bond, electronic monitoring

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The fourth man arrested in connection with the Thomas Ravenel drug investigation will be released on $250,000 bond with electronic monitoring, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Pascal Andre Etcheber, 45, a French citizen, was indicted last month, accused of knowingly giving fraudulent statements when he was interviewed by FBI and immigration agents in late October 2007.

Etcheber is the fourth person indicted in the scandal. Also named was Ravenel’s drug supplier and another foreign national — Pasquale Pellicoro, a wine expert who reportedly fled to Europe after he was charged. He remains at large.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Carr approved the bond after a 90 minute hearing.

A large part of the defense argument was that Etcheber spent a good portion of last year in a custody battle to keep his young daughter and that he realized that if he became a flight risk, he’d never see her again.

The government fought against bond, saying Etcheber had been a flight risk who was working illegally in the United States on various pursuits when he was here on a tourist visa.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/mar/24/etcheber_released_250000_bond_electronic_monitorin/

By anonymous on March 24th, 2009 at 8:43 pm

Ravenel, Demetre, Etcheber, Bauer connection

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Demetre/508814022

By anonymous on March 24th, 2009 at 9:00 pm

CHARLESTON, SC Political Contributions by Individuals …… DEMETRE, JOHN (JEWELER), (Zip code: 29401) $1000 to RAVENEL FOR US SENATE on 06/07/04 …

By anonymous on March 25th, 2009 at 1:12 am

Pascal Andre Etcheber was involved in the Thomas Ravenel social circle and was a best friend of the case’s still-on-the-run figure.

And at least five people have identified him as a face in the Charleston cocaine world.

Those were some of the allegations raised by federal authorities during a detention hearing Tuesday …federal authorities alleged that Etcheber flouted the terms of his visa, which allowed him to be in the U.S. on tourist status.

Pascal Etcheber allegedly worked in publishing, might have had tax problems and used cocaine while living here — all violations severe enough to get him sent back to France, government officials contend.

Authorities also said Etcheber was a best friend of another foreign national named in the case, Pasquale Pellicoro, who fled South Carolina after he was indicted and is believed to be living in Europe.

http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/mar/25/suspect_cocaine_case_freed_on_bond76331/

Leave a Comment