If you have to carry $47,000 - don't put it in your bra ....

Your calculation that it would cost her $4,747.00 it pretty ridiculous don’t you think?

She had a business she sold as well as 2 assumingly large land sales. You really can’t run a business effectively without a bank account. To give her the huge benefit of doubt and claim she doesn’t have a checking account is a monumental stretch.

Most banks will do a cashiers check for free to customers. Besides that, there are many free checking accounts. She could have easily deposited this money in a new account and done the cashiers check for free.

Besides all of that it would be a fair assumption that a reputable plastic surgeon would not even accept cash. This was an ill advised, unintelligent thing to do.

And were would you say she put it?? I know many people who do not truest banks. What does she do? Putting it out there that she has something of value in a case is asking for trouble. Just putting it in your suit case it asking for trouble (Ohair had problems were airline workers were opening them up and steeling stuff). Hiding in a place that if "Grabbed" most people would jump to your aid sounds smart to me.

The only thing that makes her stupid is her carrying a large sum of money like that.

The rest of the stupidity in this story is the laws that let that money be seized without arrest, evidence, warrants, etc.

Actually, I think Texas has some quite nice plastic surgeons over there.

Besides, there are a lot of rich wives in Texas. Naturally, where rich wives are, plastic surgeons are

Los Angeles is also just as close to Mexico.

Exactly, it's as if some of you are saying that it's her own damn fault that someone else stole something from her.

** Ok, so it sort of is her fault, but I'd say 85% it's everyone else's.

Didn’t read every thing I said did you?? Here I will quote my self.




And as I said if she no longer had a bank account?? And what if the reason she does not have one is she felt she was stolen from by the bank? So she will no longer do business with them?

You know Chris - two, even three years ago I would have agreed with you about putting the money in the bank. Now I'm not so sure. One of my co-workers used his ATM card and had his bank account cleaned out of nearly $10,000 by a local waiter.

It would be one thing if the banks were legally responsible for this if it happens and had a designated amount of time whereby they had to restore the money to your bank account, but they don't. It took him three months before he convinced the local police to give him a theft report and for the bank to restore his funds and even then it was at "their good will" and not required by law.

In the meantime, the checks that he wrote to cover his bills were bouncing left and right and he is still trying to get it all straightened out and it has cost him well over $600 in fees.

Direct access to ones bank account is not covered under Regulation E like money stolen via ATM access is.

With regard to a cashiers check - unless she knew the exact amount of the surgery, she would be taking quite a risk with a cashiers check as they can easily be forged and cashed unless they are made out specifically to the person intended. If that were to happen, the money is completely unrecoverable.

There is also the possibility that she did not want someone in her family to know what she was doing or using the money for (people are often funny about telling people they have had cosmetic surgery). That is her right.

People do strange things for strange reasons, not all of them are illegitimate or illegal.

The fact is that the government confiscated her money and she did nothing at all illegal and now she has to hire a lawyer, go to court and prove her innocence instead of the court having to prove her guilty.

This is happening to more and more people. It is in fact so bad that innocent people are pleading guilty to offenses that they did not commit simply because the cost of a legal battle would ruin their famliy financially. The bottom line is that someone in the government is going to take their money one way or the other, so they may as well minimize the cost as much as they can.

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Were is the majority of Plastic Surgeries done? From different programs I have seen Texas does not fall in the Top ten. I would think the best Doc are were the most surgeries are done. Yes LA is close to Mexico but when you think of Plastic Surgery you think LA not Texas.

Well maybe she knows family who resomended a specific one, or after her surjury she wanted to be around family.

Last I heard was a lot of people with Hisbanic names like hers in Texas.

I think though we kind of all agree, I hope anyway, we dont want to live in a police state where we have to justify WHY we take money from point A to point B.


If the war on Drugs means we lose all personal freedom and rights under the 4th ammendment. Then thats Enough reason to end it.

Ok first off. Like I said, this story needs more facts. The woman sold a business and some property. Did she sell it for cash? Where did that money come from? If I was her and wanted to carry cash, I would take copies of the sale of her business/properties with her as origin of the money, carry the money in a very normal looking suitcase and be up front and open with airport security about the fact that Im carrying that much money with me and I'd carry a copy of a letter or something showing my scheduled appointment with a plastic surgeon which also quoted the fees expected for the work being done. I would have also consulted a lawyer about my rights and things I should do before ever attempting to travel with that much money.

Like I said it bothers me but I am not thinking she should have been stolen from like she was. Police States Sucks!

And you didn't read what I said... did you???


Your entire premise is based on the assumption that she may not have a bank account… that is a very very long stretch to suggest that.


What if the sky was falling… none of this would matter. Why with all of the far fetched what ifs anyway?

This is detracting away from the thread anyway. Personally I think that if it is legal for her to carry the money then under what reason did the seize it? Those who did so should be prosecuted if the seize was unlawful. If there is a law stating that she cannot carry that much then her ignorance of that law is not a justification for breaking it and she should be prosecuted.

Fact we know she did it. Fact we know she had a reason. We do not know the reason and can only guess. People keep saying she is nuts or stupied with out knowing the reason. I have listed 1 reason that should be it with out resalting to calling her names.

mmm resalting

If there is a law saying that someone cant cary 47,000$ its unjust.

Since it was the DEA who seized the money - the logical conclusion is the seizure was related to anti-drug enforcement.

Chris. I was not saying I wanted to or was going move to Canada. It would kill me to leave here. I said it's looking better every day.

Also, this is just ONE of a plethora of events in recent times me think that maybe a move to Canada or Europe wouldn't be such a bad thing.

I do love my country. I am a veteran. My father was killed in the line of duty in the Marine Corps. Many of my extended family members are veterans, several of them of foreign wars. We have paid our dues. Those sacrifices earned both you and I the right to express dismay at this kind of crap.

However, when the authorities can seize your property and sell it to Pfizer, seize your money on the freeways, lock people away for 20 years or more for simple possesion, etc., etc. I have to start to wonder wtf is happening.

Was it all in fives and ones?

Umm, this make no logical sense. I'm sorry someone with 47K cash is suspicious. Why wouldnt she wire the money to her Dr? Leave it in her bank account and use her ATM card? And why in hell would she go to Texas for plastic surgery? When there are great Drs in Boston, NYC, Chicago? Why Texas? A lot of drugs come through Texas, it is no stretch of the imagination that someone would think a person with that much cash in their BRA would be running drugs. And businesses, especially small ones like cellular and pager stores are notorious for laundering money. So the selling of the businesses doesn't exactly hold up either. Casinos are also notorious low level money laundering establishments for small time drug dealers. Also, boobs, ass and tummy tuck dont cost 47K. The story doesnt add up. I am against illegal search and seizure, but if walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck. Let her explain this crap in court.

And what if she does not truest banks?


I agree here. Not on the Chicago part I live in Chicago land and think by fare Chicago is the best place but we are not known for PS. If I remember right Hustan is #11 or 12 and Chicago is #15 so Texas over Chicago I can see. Texas over NY or LA? nope


I agree this is the reason because of the PS in Texas I had a problem with the story.


How do you know how much? Are you a Doc? Are you some one that had that done? Have you thought of every thing? I seen a program that showed a Ranch some place that had Plastic Surgeons come in and do work on people. You then stay there for a few weeks paying 1K a night to stay there. There is a medical team there for any problems and they help you. It is almost a spy and it bills it’s self that way. I also seen on the ENetwork PS show they had a PS who went to see a patient at a hotel for PS after there operation. He said it was very pricy but it works for people who have the money and want the care. She was not going to be home so who knows. Also like one person said maybe she had family there. So get work done then spend time with family and that can cost you allot of money.


I agree but most cases like this never get to court and they never get there money back.

If they had found drugs in her possession I'd agree. If as part of an investigation, they had followed her because they were suspicious of the 47K, and then witnessed a drug transaction, I'd agree.

But none of these things happened.

They just took the money. She was presumed guilty (by an entity who had a vested interest in keeping the funds for themselves) and fined $47,000 without the benefit of a trial and now has to hire an attorney and pay court costs to prove that she is innocent.

The concept of the presumption of innocence is one of the most basic in our system of justice. While it may not be codified in the actual text of the Constitution the premise has been a part of our system for so long, that it [once was] considered common law.

Also the concept is embodied in several provisions of the Constitution, such as the right to remain silent and the right to a jury.

Seizure of property (in this case $47,000) without what amounts to even a valid accusation is simply the government selectively taking what they want from it's citizens. No more, no less.

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Boobs 3-8K Average 4500
Tummy Tuck 3-9K Average 4500
Butt implants Average 3600



The whole point in going to Texas over a city in the north would be lower costs for recovery since things are cheaper in Texas than the northeast. The whold thing with recover time even with her having the best Drs and most extravagant medical care would be well under $30,000.


The story still doesnt add up.

But does it need to? Why is she presumed guilty without collaborating evidence?

I can understand the 47K in cash as grounds for the DEA to conduct and investigation, collect evidence and then get a court order to freeze her assets. But that's not what they did is it? No. They just took her assest without having to investigate or go before a judge. Do you not see how dangerous this is?

It means that any agent of the government can take anything of value on your person and say it was taken because they suspected you of transacting in drugs and not have to prove a thing unless YOU hired a lawyer and took them to court.

OK so she was 14K over. Well maybe after she was let go she was going to LA to buy new clothes. Maybe it does add up and you don't know the fact?

Welcome to life in the hood! This happens everyday in the inner city but no one cares.


I find more drugs on the street more dangerous than the moneying be seized. Also, if you are stupid enough to carry 47,000 cash, you deserve what you get. Travelers checks, its a thought!

Welcome to life on just about every Native American Reservation in the U.S.

Believe me, I can understand why you think drugs are dangerous, but frankly, if that is an argument, then alcohol should be banned too.

Then again, that didn't work too well in the past did it?

Seems to me that seizure of assets hasn't worked any better than putting people in prison when it comes to stopping or even slowing down drug traffic.

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