Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, December 11, 1993                   TAG: 9312110073
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD INDICTS DUBLIN MAN ON NUMEROUS FRAUD CHARGES

Robert E. White of Dublin was indicted on 14 charges of fraudulently selling recreational vehicles at New River Camping Center while they still had liens against them, said Commonwealth's Attorney Randal Duncan. The charges involved about $300,000 in trust accounts.

Duncan said the vehicles - including Winnebagos and other large traveling campers - were sold without notifying the businesses that held their liens. The money from the sales was not applied to repay the loans on the vehicles, Duncan said.

Besides these 14 indictments, the grand jury also issued 10 indictments accusing White of six counts of embezzling, representing a total of more than $55,000; one count of obtaining $27,000 by false pretenses from Central Fidelity Bank; and three charges of conspiracy to commit embezzlement.

The embezzlement indictments allege that White took checks or cash he received as part of his employment and wrongfully converted the money to his own use.

The amounts, covering a period between December 1992 and April 1993, range from less than $400 to $50,000.

Authorities, as they checked into allegations at the business, found that recreational vehicles that had outstanding liens against them were no longer on the company's lot.

Some people who bought vehicles from White have found they must pay off two loans, rather than one, before they can obtain titles to the vehicles, Duncan said.

Numerous civil suits have resulted because of the discoveries.

Some of the banks that held liens have recovered some of the vehicles and sold them to recover losses, Duncan said.

Besides the charges on which White was indicted Friday, Duncan said there were three to four other complaints against White that do not involve criminal charges.

White's wife, June L. White, was also indicted Friday on three charges of embezzlement and three charges of conspiring to embezzle.

She is not charged with selling any of the vehicles.

A woman answering the telephone at White's home who identified herself as White's wife referred comment to the couple's attorneys, who were not available Friday afternoon.

"I'm sure none of this is true. Like all the rest of it, it's all been false," the woman said.