November 19, 2010, Monterey Herald, MIIS probes lecturer's credentials [Original Source] by Larry Parsons,
The Monterey Institute of International Studies is investigating the background of a lecturer whose credentials as a retired Green Beret officer and human trafficking expert have come under question.
The check on Bill Hillar's background was prompted by questions that arose last week among students and a Web chat site about Hillar's military service record, MIIS spokesman Jason Warburg said Thursday.
A profile page about Hillar, which has been removed from the institute's website, described Hillar as a retired colonel of Army Special Forces who served in Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America. It said Hillar has a doctorate in health education and has advised foreign governments and military organizations.
"The situation is that questions have been raised about his military credentials, in particular, and we're looking into them," Warburg said.
Phone messages to Hillar, who has a Carmel post office box, were not returned Thursday.
Hillar taught a MIIS workshop this fall in human trafficking, Warburg said. He has taught counterterrorism workshops during the past five years.
"He typically was brought in to teach a course or two," Warburg said.
On several websites, Hillar is linked to the 2008 film "Taken," which starred Liam Neeson as a spy whose daughter is kidnapped and sold into the Asian sex industry.
Hillar, an advocate against human sex trafficking, this month won an award from Elon University in North Carolina for hiswork against the female sex slave trade, the university newspaper said. The school paper said "Taken" was loosely based on Hillar's life and the 1988 kidnapping abroad of a 16-year-old daughter.
Questions about the accuracy of Hillar's military record were raised on a Web chat site called Professional Soldiers, which describes itself as being owned and operated by "quiet professionals and ... dedicated to the Special Services soldier."
The University of Oregon, where Hillar had been an instructor for about eight years, is checking his background, a university spokesman said Thursday.
The school is looking into assertions that Hillar had a doctorate from the university.
"Our records show he didn't receive the degree" after being in a doctoral program in health from 1970 to 1973, said university spokesman Joe Mosley.
A website for Bill Hillar Training was down Thursday, but a client list downloaded earlier from the site contained two pages of federal, state and private agencies, schools and other organizations. The site said Hillar's training services included "consulting and training for high-risk occupations and speaking on leadership, ethics, stress and creativity."
On Monday, MIIS President Sunder Ramaswamy sent an e-mail to staff, faculty and students announcing its "research on the issues" raised about Hillar's "military and professional credentials."
The MIIS spokesman said Hillar's profile page was removed from the school's website because he was neither a full professor nor an adjunct professor, but an independent contractor.
"His profile shouldn't have been posted," Warburg said. "It was removed around the same time those questions came up."
Warburg said MIIS will do a thorough and diligent investigation and "arrive at a judgment when we have all the facts."
He said the school has made an inquiry to the military about Hillar and his ties to the Special Forces, but hasn't received a response.
He said the school has tried to contact Hillar, but "we have not had any response to date."
Larry Parsons can be reached at 646-4379 or lparsons@montereyherald.com.
November 20, 2010, Monterey Herald, War Stories 'Didn't Add Up': MIIS students questioned instructor's credentials, by Larry Parsons,
The stories were good, full of commando drama and globe-trotting derring-do in very dangerous climes.
They were so good that, ultimately, they didn't ring true with a few students at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
They began comparing notes on what they heard in workshops on human trafficking and counterterrorism from instructor Bill Hillar.
They had believed the big man in his 60s with the close-cropped, military-style haircut was a retired colonel with Army Special Forces, a veteran of the elite Green Berets.
"I believe it had a lot to do with his gravity. It had a certain amount of weight to it," said Brian Hubbs, a second-year student at MIIS.
Hubbs, 29, a Marine veteran, and a few fellow students with military backgrounds began questioning the accuracy of Hillar's accounts.
Their doubts grew as they researched the man who taught workshops at MIIS for five years, held training sessions for law enforcement groups and spoke to audiences around the country on the horrors of human trafficking.
Some of the stories, they found, had been told in books, and they featured people other than Hillar.
They came to the conclusion that Hillar, who had peppered his lectures with accounts of gun battles in Borneo and undercover missions in Iran, wasn't all he claimed to be.
This week, MIIS officials said the school was mounting an investigation into Hillar's background because of questions raised by students and a website dedicated to the military's special forces. The website alleges that Hillar never served in the Army, but was a Coast Guard reservist.
"We did our research," said website owner Jeff Hinton, who identifies himself as a retired Special Forces master sergeant, in an e-mail.
Hillar didn't answer calls this week to a number that was picked up by an answering machine, which played a message by a man identifying himself as Bill Hillar.
Hillar hasn't been in contact with MIIS either, a spokesman said.
Hubbs said he and his fellow students tracked Hillar through public records, talked to military investigators and to many of the groups and agencies advertised as clients on Hillar's recently shut down website.
"One of the greatest mysteries is how he was able to do this for years," Hubbs said.
A common response from Hillar's clients, he said, was "they took his word. They had heard he was a good speaker, so they invited him. They had no reason to question him."
Among the dramatic claims that Hillar made during workshops, Hubbs said, were that:
· He was asked to go to Afghanistan by the CIA on Sept. 12, 2001, the day after the terror attacks on Washington, D.C., and New York City.
· He has known retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, former U.S. commander in Afghanistan, for "a hundred years."
· He entered Tehran disguised as a German tourist in advance of the failed helicopter rescue mission during the 1979-81 embassy hostage crisis.
"The questions didn't add up," said Hubbs, ascribing his and his fellow students' curiosity to their own military service.
Veterans "hear these things and it triggers things that don't make sense," he said.
Hubbs said there are a number of recent veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan enrolled at MIIS. "I think that is why he got caught at our school," he said.
Hubbs said the episode has upset students, and he questions why MIIS officials didn't check Hillar's credentials more carefully.
"They are in a complete defense mode," he said. "They need to call a meeting and explain to students."
The school should give refunds to students who took Hillar's workshops, which were worth a unit of academic credit, he said.
MIIS spokesman Jason Warburg said faculty and staff members responded immediately when issues were raised by students about Hillar.
"We are anxious to conclude this process as well, and are moving as expeditiously as possible," he said in an e-mail.
Warburg said the school is proud of the students' actions and deeply understands "the strong feelings that some of our students who are military veterans have about the issues."
Larry Parsons can be reached at 646-4487 or lparsons@montereyherald.com.
November 20, 2010, Monterey County Weekly, MIIS IMPOSTOR, MIIS concludes instructor Bill Hillar lied about his academic record. by Robin Urevich,
The Monterey Institute of International Studies has concluded that Bill Hillar, a popular instructor who has given workshops on human trafficking since 2005, misrepresented his academic credentials.
The Weekly has learned that his military credentials also appear to be falsified.
Hillar, who has claimed to be a retired Special Forces Colonel, told a wild tale of international intrigue in his popular one-credit workshops, claiming that his own 17-year old daughter was kidnapped by traffickers in Southeast Asia, and was killed by them. He has said that he personally tracked her abductors, and claimed that the 2008 Liam Neeson film, Taken, is based on his exploits.
In fact, the United States Army Special Operations Command has no record that William G. Hillar ever took part in special operations education and training, which are standard for special forces personnel.
According to the National Archives and Records Administration, a William Gibb Hillar did serve in the United States Coast Guard Reserve from 1962 to 1970.
Furthermore, Hillar claimed to have a PhD from the University of Oregon in a health field. But, university spokesman Joe Mosley says Hillar didn't earn a doctoral degree.
A Nov. 20 statement from MIIS notes it will now require independent contract instructors like Hillar to submit to the same pre-employment background checks that faculty undergo.
MIIS will allow students who received credit for Hillar's workshop to take a one-credit course free of charge if they want the credit for Hillar's course removed from their records.
Hillar also gave workshops at the University of Oregon's substance abuse education program, offered training for firefighters and law enforcement personnel across the country, and has been a frequent speaker at events aimed at raising awareness of human trafficking.
Hillar's website has been taken down, and he has not returned phone calls.
November 23, 2010, Monterey Herald, MIIS confirms instructor lied about credentials, Background checks to be mandatory, by Jane Lee,
Bill Hillar Instructor did not receive a doctorate from the University of Oregon.
After confirming that workshop instructor Bill Hillar misrepresented his academic credentials, the Monterey Institute of International Studies said it is taking steps to ensure something similar does not happen again.
Hillar, who taught workshops on human trafficking and counterterrorism, was categorized as an independent contractor for MIIS, so he was not subject to the background checks required of all employees, MIIS officials said in a news release.
But the incident has prompted them to change that policy. Effective immediately, anyone who teaches a course for credit will undergo a background check.
Questions about Hillar's credentials first came to light in early November, MIIS spokesman Jason Warburg said Monday. Two students brought their suspicions about Hillar's military experience to a faculty member, who alerted MIIS officials.
"The key issue was did he or did he not misrepresent his credentials," said Warburg.
After conducting its review, MIIS found that Hillar, who is not a permanent part of the teaching staff, did not graduate from the University of Oregon with a doctorate, Warburg said, even though the résumé Hillar submitted to MIIS stated he had.
MIIS officials looked into Hillar's military credentials, Warburg said, but were unable to substantiate his military record in the 2½ weeks of the review. He said the Freedom of Information Act request the school submitted has not been fulfilled.
MIIS officials gave Hillar the opportunity to respond to the issues brought up during their review, but Warburg said Hillar has not contacted them.
Hillar received positive comments on his student evaluations, Warburg said.
"People, at this point, are just absorbing what's been sent out," he said, adding that some people have expressed surprise at the situation.
Students who took Hillar's workshops can choose whether to keep the credit. If they choose to have it removed, they will be able to enroll in another one-credit workshop at MIIS at no extra cost
The school is trying to find a qualified instructor for its spring Human Trafficking workshop. MIIS will try to make the class available on campus and online.
"We deeply regret this incident and offer our sincere apologies to the students, alumni, faculty and staff who have been affected by it," MIIS President Sunder Ramaswamy said in the news release.
"We also want to express our profound gratitude to the students who brought these issues to the administration's attention. We are very proud of the integrity they have displayed through their actions."
Because Hillar was not a member of the institution, Warburg said, the incident likely will not damage the school's standing.
Jane Lee can be reached at 648-1188 or jlee@montereyherald.com.
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/...nclick_check=1
November 25, 2010, Monterey County Herald, The (CA), Lawmen probe bogus instructor, by Larry Parsons, Page: A1, Document ID: 19795016
First, a few students, then a veterans group looked into claims by a former Monterey Institute of International Studies instructor who claimed to be a retired Green Beret colonel and an expert on human trafficking.
Now, law enforcement agencies are looking into Bill Hillar, the workshop instructor with whom MIIS severed ties last week after concluding he misrepresented his credentials. "We have had conversations with law enforcement about this entire...Click here for complete article ($2.95)
Archived news— November 29, 2010
Law Enforcement Involved in Probe of Bogus Monterey Institute Instructor,
First, a few students, then a veterans group looked into claims by a former Monterey Institute of International Studies instructor who claimed to be a retired Green Beret colonel and an expert on human trafficking. Now, law enforcement agencies are looking into Bill Hillar, the workshop instructor with whom MIIS severed ties last week after concluding he misrepresented his credentials.
“We have had conversations with law enforcement about this entire matter,” MIIS spokesman Jason Warburg said Wednesday. "We can't comment on any details of our cooperation, but certainly we have been in regular communication."
The FBI and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in Portland, Ore., have opened a fraud investigation into Hillar, who gave lectures and conducted workshops for several years for schools, civic groups and law enforcement agencies across the nation.
"It's really an issue all over the country," Warburg said.
Warburg declined to identify which law enforcement agencies contacted the Monterey school about Hillar, who dropped from sight after questions arose about his background.
Multnomah County sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Jose Martinez said his agency joined with the FBI in looking at Hillar after a detective who works human trafficking cases became aware of news reports about Hillar’s credential problems.
"The investigation is in a preliminary stage," Martinez said.
Warburg said MIIS paid about $32,500 to Hillar over the past five years for two annual weekend workshops he gave about trafficking and counterterrorism issues.
He said the school hasn’t filed a complaint with a police agency, but he didn’t rule out the possibility.
“We’re not going to comment on any future actions we might take until law enforcement has completed its investigation,” he said.
The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that authorities in Portland were investigating Hillar. The paper said Hillar was scheduled to be a keynote speaker at the University of Portland for a conference on human trafficking, but didn’t appear.
Hillar claimed to have a doctorate degree from the University of Oregon. The school last week said he attended classes in the early 1970s but never completed a doctoral program. Warburg said MIIS has been contacted by several organizations "in a similar situation with Mr. Hillar" and has shared information with them.
While some students criticized MIIS for employing Hillar without carefully vetting his credentials, Warburg predicted the graduate school will weather the fallout.
"Obviously it's a concern and something we deeply regret," Warburg said. He noted that the school, which is part of Middlebury College in Vermont, apologized to students, faculty, staff and alumni.
"I would say many … have expressed satisfaction with the approach we have taken and the apology that was made," he said. "Certainly some students remain concerned."
Larry Parsons can be reached at 646-4379 or lparsons@montereyherald.com.
January 25, 2011, Monterey County Weekly, MIIS Fabulist Hillar Arrested in Maryland, by Mary Dunn,
Military fabulist Bill Hillar, a self-proclaimed human-trafficking expert who claimed his life-story formed the basis of the film Taken, was arrested Tuesday morning in Maryland and reportedly faces federal fraud charges.
The FBI took Hillar into custody this morning at Hillar’s home in Millersville, according to a report from ABC News affiliate WJLA. In the criminal complaint, Hillar faces charges of mail fraud related to a $2,145 check he received from MIIS and delivered to his Maryland address.
Hillar will make his first court appearance this afternoon. According to the complaint, Hillar collected more than $32,000 from MIIS during his time as a lecturer there.
FBI spokesman Rich Wolf of the Baltimore Field Office didn’t immediately return a phone call requesting comment. Hillar, who has claimed to be a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces, told a wild tale of international intrigue in his popular one-credit workshops at MIIS. He claimed that his own 17-year-old daughter was kidnapped by traffickers in Southeast Asia, and was killed by them. He has said that he personally tracked her abductors, and claimed that the 2008 film starring Liam Neeson is based on his exploits.
In late November, MIIS announced that Hillar misrepresented his academic credentials. The U.S. Army Special Operations Command has no record that William G. Hillar ever took part in special operations education and training, which are standard for special forces personnel.
According to the National Archives and Records Administration, a William Gibb Hillar did serve in the United States Coast Guard Reserve from 1962 to 1970.
January 25, 2011, Monterey Herald, FBI arrests former lecturer at Monterey Institute of International Studies, by Larry Parsons,
A man who allegedly spun bogus tales of paramilitary derring-do for a decade to a wide range of audiences, including students at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI without incident at his brick ranch house in Maryland.
William G. Hillar, 66, built up a client list that included other schools and the FBI Command College by posing as a retired Green Berets colonel with wide-ranging military expertise and frontline tales. He faces a single federal count of mail fraud for payment he received from MIIS in July 2010.
Hillar appeared before a federal magistrate Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Baltimore and was ordered to be detained after he was unable to post a $50,000 bond and arrange for a third-party custodian. He was taken into custody at his Millersville, Md., home nestled below hilly woods.
"The complaint alleges that (Hillar) was living a lie and basing his entire career on experiences he did not have and credentials he did not earn," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "He was never a colonel, never served in the U.S. Army, never was deployed to exotic locales and never received training in counter-terrorism and psychological warfare."
Hillar had used the elaborate ruse for more than a decade to get work teaching, leading workshops, giving speeches and conducting training for public and private sector clients, federal officials said.
Hillar's alleged masquerade unraveled in November after several MIIS students, military veterans themselves, began to question the authenticity of things he said about his military exploits and knowledge of international human trafficking. Their questions and those raised by online veterans groups prompted the Monterey institute to ask Hillar to document his background. That never happened, and Hillar cut off communications with MIIS and apparently took down his "Bill Hillar Training" website.
"We're glad he is going to be held accountable for his actions," MIIS spokesman Jason Warburg said. "They have affected a large number of individuals and organizations across the country."
Hillar's client list included almost 40 agencies and schools across the country, ranging from FBI and Army units to local and state police agencies from Idaho to Georgia.
Hillar was hired to give two, 15-hour workshops a year in counterterrorism and human trafficking between 2005 and 2010 at MIIS, receiving a total of $32,500 for the lectures.
Federal officials said evidence indicates that Hillar was paid more than $100,000 for teaching and speaking while using his pose.
Along with MIIS, the clients Hillar received the most money from included $31,000 from the University of Oregon and $24,140 from the Federal Executive Board of Los Angeles, according to court records.
An affidavit by an FBI special agent also listed the FBI's Command College and its Salt Lake City and Chicago divisions as sources of Hillar's teaching and speaking fees.
Hillar's actual military record was a far cry from what it was billed to be.
He served in the Coast Guard from 1962 to 1970 as an enlisted sailor and reached the rank of radarman 3, FBI Special Agent David Rodski said in an affidavit.
"(He) was never deployed to any of the locations mentioned on his website - Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America," Rodski said.
Hillar faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted, federal officials said. Immediately after Hillar became the subject of criminal investigations last fall, MIIS said it was changing its policy to require full background checks on lecturers and anyone involved in classroom teaching.
"That's the decision we have made," said Warburg, who said the school cooperated with law enforcement agencies in the investigation.
"Unfortunately this is something that is becoming somewhat common,"
Warburg said, mentioning a recent case in which an airline pilot posed as a cardiologist. "It is requiring us to do things that were unusual in the past."
Richard McFeely, FBI special agent in charge in Baltimore, said the Hillar case is an example of "the difficulty the public faces trying to verify the accuracy of information of the Internet."
Court records show investigators were still trying to determine what became of some of the money Hillar earned from teaching and lecturing.
"This is someone that we still really don't know who he is," Maryland Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise said during Hillar's initial appearance in court, the Baltimore Sun reported.
"Significant sums" are unaccounted for, Wise said in court. Hillar has about $180,000 in a stock portfolio, but little else in cash.
Hillar was in Belize earlier this month and told an individual there that he owns property in Costa Rica and planned to do more traveling in the near future, court records said.
He has an extensive gun collection and has been married several times, telling each new wife that the "predecessor wives" were dead, Wise said, adding that Hillar has no community ties.
"We don't know what he's been doing for most of his adult life," said Wise, who plans to present the case to a federal grand jury Thursday.
Hillar said he plans to return to teaching once released.
On the lecture circuit, Hillar hinted that the 2008 movie starring Liam Neeson as a spy whose daughter is kidnapped into the sex industry was loosely based on exploits from his life. He was known as a staunch advocate against the international sex trade.
January 26, 2011, Monterey County Herald, The (CA), FBI arrests MIIS lecturer, by Larry Parsons,
Page: A1, Document ID: 20356393
A man who allegedly spun bogus tales of paramilitary derring-do for a decade to a wide range of audiences, including students at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI without incident at his brick ranch house in Maryland.
William G. Hillar, 66, built up a client list that included other schools and the FBI Command College by posing as a retired Green Berets colonel with wide-ranging military expertise and frontline tales. He faces a single federal...Click here for complete article ($2.95)
January 25, 2010, Silicon Valley Mercury News, FBI arrests former lecturer at Monterey Institute of International Studies, by Larry Parsons- Monterey County Herald,
Posted: 01/25/2011 05:47:54 PM PST
Updated: 01/25/2011 07:29:25 PM PST
A man who allegedly spun bogus tales of paramilitary derring-do for a decade to a wide range of audiences, including students at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI without incident at his brick ranch house in Maryland.
William G. Hillar, 66, built up a client list that included other schools and the FBI Command College by posing as a retired Green Berets colonel with wide-ranging military expertise and frontline tales. He faces a single federal count of mail fraud for payment he received from MIIS in July 2010.
Hillar appeared before a federal magistrate Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Baltimore and was ordered to be detained after he was unable to post a $50,000 bond and arrange for a third-party custodian. He was taken into custody at his Millersville, Md., home nestled below hilly woods.
"The complaint alleges that (Hillar) was living a lie and basing his entire career on experiences he did not have and credentials he did not earn," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "He was never a colonel, never served in the U.S. Army, never was deployed to exotic locales and never received training in counter-terrorism and psychological warfare."
Hillar had used the elaborate ruse for more than a decade to get work teaching, leading workshops, giving speeches and conducting training for public and private sector clients, federal officials said.
Hillar's alleged masquerade unraveled in November after several MIIS students, military veterans themselves, began to question the authenticity of things he said about his military exploits and knowledge of international human trafficking. Their questions and those raised by online veterans groups prompted the Monterey institute to ask Hillar to document his background. That never happened, and Hillar cut off communications with MIIS and apparently took down his "Bill Hillar Training" website.
"We're glad he is going to be held accountable for his actions," MIIS spokesman Jason Warburg said. "They have affected a large number of individuals and organizations across the country."
Hillar's client list included almost 40 agencies and schools across the country, ranging from FBI and Army units to local and state police agencies from Idaho to Georgia.
Hillar was hired to give two, 15-hour workshops a year in counterterrorism and human trafficking between 2005 and 2010 at MIIS, receiving a total of $32,500 for the lectures.
Federal officials said evidence indicates that Hillar was paid more than $100,000 for teaching and speaking while using his pose.
Along with MIIS, the clients Hillar received the most money from included $31,000 from the University of Oregon and $24,140 from the Federal Executive Board of Los Angeles, according to court records.
An affidavit by an FBI special agent also listed the FBI's Command College and its Salt Lake City and Chicago divisions as sources of Hillar's teaching and speaking fees.
Hillar's actual military record was a far cry from what it was billed to be.
He served in the Coast Guard from 1962 to 1970 as an enlisted sailor and reached the rank of radarman 3, FBI Special Agent David Rodski said in an affidavit.
"(He) was never deployed to any of the locations mentioned on his website - Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America," Rodski said.
Hillar faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted, federal officials said. Immediately after Hillar became the subject of criminal investigations last fall, MIIS said it was changing its policy to require full background checks on lecturers and anyone involved in classroom teaching.
"That's the decision we have made," said Warburg, who said the school cooperated with law enforcement agencies in the investigation.
"Unfortunately this is something that is becoming somewhat common,"
Warburg said, mentioning a recent case in which an airline pilot posed as a cardiologist. "It is requiring us to do things that were unusual in the past."
Richard McFeely, FBI special agent in charge in Baltimore, said the Hillar case is an example of "the difficulty the public faces trying to verify the accuracy of information of the Internet."
Court records show investigators were still trying to determine what became of some of the money Hillar earned from teaching and lecturing.
"This is someone that we still really don't know who he is," Maryland Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise said during Hillar's initial appearance in court, the Baltimore Sun reported.
"Significant sums" are unaccounted for, Wise said in court. Hillar has about $180,000 in a stock portfolio, but little else in cash.
Hillar was in Belize earlier this month and told an individual there that he owns property in Costa Rica and planned to do more traveling in the near future, court records said.
He has an extensive gun collection and has been married several times, telling each new wife that the "predecessor wives" were dead, Wise said, adding that Hillar has no community ties.
"We don't know what he's been doing for most of his adult life," said Wise, who plans to present the case to a federal grand jury Thursday.
Hillar said he plans to return to teaching once released.
On the lecture circuit, Hillar hinted that the 2008 movie starring Liam Neeson as a spy whose daughter is kidnapped into the sex industry was loosely based on exploits from his life. He was known as a staunch advocate against the international sex trade.
March 17, 2011, Monterey County Herald, The (CA), More trouble for bogus Green Beret suspect, by Larry Parsons, Page: A2, Document ID: 20837599
Former Monterey Institute of International Studies lecturer Bill Hillar, accused of bilking several schools and law enforcement agencies by posing as a retired special forces soldier turned lecturer, has been hit by new charges by federal prosecutors.
Moreover, prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Md., want a court protective order to prevent Hillar from gaining access to about $180,000 in a stock brokerage account. They say if Hillar is convicted in the case, almost all of the...Click here for complete article ($2.95)
March 17, 2011, Monterey County Herald, More charges for MIIS lecturer accused of being bogus Green Beret: Feds seek to block access to $180K, by Larry Parsons, Herald Staff Writer,
by NWCAT on Thursday, at 1:51pm
Hillar on the right talking with someone from the search team for missing 10-year old Washington girl Lindsey Baum.
Former Monterey Institute of International Studies lecturer Bill Hillar, accused of bilking several schools and law enforcement agencies by posing as a retired special forces soldier turned lecturer, has been hit by new charges by federal prosecutors.
Moreover, prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Md., want a court protective order to prevent Hillar from gaining access to about $180,000 in a stock brokerage account. They say if Hillar is convicted in the case, almost all of the money would be needed to compensate victims who fell for his 12-year pose as a former Green Beret colonel.
Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., was arrested by the FBI Jan. 25 as his alleged impersonation as a globe-trotting, paramilitary operative unraveled last fall after MIIS students began questioning his credentials.
Hillar taught workshops at the institute from 2005 to 2010 in counterterrorism and human trafficking, receiving a total of $32,500 from the private school.
Hillar, originally charged with one count of mail fraud, was arraigned last week on a new 16-count indictment accusing him of multiple counts of mail and wire fraud. The indictment states Hillar received about $164,000 from 23 educational, law enforcement and military organizations for workshops, courses and speeches based on his concocted biography.
Hillar, who is being represented by federal public defenders, has denied the charges.
The indictment states Hillar, who federal authorities say served eight years as an enlisted Coast Guardsman, taught 18 courses — in subjects ranging from international drug trafficking to tactical counter-terrorism — at the University of Oregon alone. The university hired him based on his "purported 'real world' experiences in the Army," the indictment says.
In all, prosecutors say in court papers, Hillar was paid about $171,000 by passing himself off as a retired special forces officer.
In papers filed Monday, prosecutors asked the court to keep Hillar from tapping his stock account because the proceeds of his alleged crimes are nearly the same as the $180,000 in the account. They predict more victims will come forward.
Hillar is seeking access to the money to hire private counsel, but prosecutors say the assets must be protected to compensate victims. The defense contends the government is holding more funds than it is entitled to.
Hillar's attorneys have said the $180,000 represents his only assets besides a car, a motorcycle and a $1,600 bank account.
Hillar is free on $50,000 bail, but he can't leave Maryland or take a job without approval of court officials, according to court records.
Larry Parsons can be reached at 646-4379 or lparsons@montereyherald.com
March 29, 2011, Monterey County Weekly, Fake Bad-Ass Pleads Guilty, by Joel Ede,
William Hillar, the once popular MIIS instructor who masqueraded as a former special forces officer and explosives expert, and claimed to have spurred a Liam Neeson flick based on his exploits abroad, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and scheming to defraud money under false pretenses.
Hillar collected more than $170,000 in fees for his lectures, workshops and training on human trafficking and counter terrorism, among others—taking MIIS for approximately $32,000 during his time lecturing there.
He claimed the story behind the film Taken, in which the daughter of the character played by Liam Neeson is forced into sex slavery in a human trafficking scheme, was based on his true life story. Hillar also claimed his daughter was murdered by sex traffickers.
There is no record for Hillar ever having special forces training or any other instruction he claimed to have undertaken in the military. There is also no evidence of his personal experience in human trafficking.
The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
"William G. Hillar lived a lie and based his teaching career on military experience he did not have and credentials that he did not earn," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "He was never a colonel, never served in the U.S. Army or the Special Forces, never was deployed to exotic locales and never received training in counter-terrorism and psychological warfare while in the armed forces."
Hillar faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He has agreed to pay restitution of $171,415 and perform no less than 500 hours of community service at the Maryland State Veterans Cemeteries. He will be sentenced on July 20.
Wow. What an interesting and sad story. Kudos to the writer for his summary of this long affair. I'd like to see the next story reference the fact that the FBI paid Hillar starting in 2000 according to the plea bargain posted on Scribd. This seems like an interesting aspect of the story. He dooped the FBI and Army before teaching in Oregon and Monterey.
Posted by ctkicker17 on March 29, 2011 at 9:44 p.m
There are several stories already printed with the facts of his deception of the Government. Also, it's important to note that he never duped the Army Special Forces Soldiers. Many SF veterans had a hand in uncovering this scumbag because they smelled the BS as soon as they heard of this clown.
Kinda easy to fool everyone if you're claiming membership in an organization which, by necessity, is shrouded in secrecy. Since we all love hero's and we don't ever meet any real live "operators" to tell us hero stories let me give this general guideline.....
If you're hero is eagerly spouting his stories about his "rough time in the bush" as a secret Soldier, hard chargin' Devildog, black ops Sniper, Super SEAL, Covert Commando, Freedom Fighter, or American Hero worthy of praise but he's "to modest"....He was most likely none of the above.
Posted by bear0352 on March 30, 2011 at 5:50 a.m.
March 30, 2011, Monterey County Herald, The (CA), Ex-MIIS instructor pleads guilty to fraud, by Larry Parsons, Page: A1, Document ID: 20947526
A man who falsely claimed to be a globe-trotting Special Forces officer before students at the Monterey Institute of International Studies helped unmask him pleaded guilty to wire fraud Tuesday in a Baltimore federal court.
William G. Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., will be sentenced July 20 and faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baltimore said. In a plea agreement, Hillar agreed to pay $171,415 in restitution...Click here for complete article ($2.95)
August 30, 2011, Monterey Herald, Longtime Monterey lecturer on counterterrorism, human trafficking was a fraud, sentenced to 21 months in prison, by Larry Parsons,
As a lecturer, William G. Hillar wove astonishing tales of derring-do during a larger-than-life career as a U.S. special forces commando and a dashing father who vainly tried to save his daughter from murderous Asian sex traffickers.
For a dozen years, Hillar transformed a resumé right out of several thriller novels into teaching and lecturing jobs at schools and in training sessions for military, police and other emergency responder groups.
Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., who lectured from 2005 to 2010 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies on human trafficking and counterterrorism, made it all up, federal prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, Hillar was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty in March to a single count of wire fraud for his lengthy charade as a retired military officer.
Federal prosecutors in Baltimore asked U.S. District Court Judge William D. Quarles to put Hillar in prison for a lengthy term because of what one investigator called his "unconscionable" use of a false military identity for personal gain.
Hillar's bogus background came to light last fall when some students at MIIS - military veterans themselves - and members of the special forces community began to ask questions about his tales and dug into his background.
"William G. Hillar claimed that he had earned praise as a hero, but the truth is that he deserves condemnation as a liar," Baltimore U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement.
Under Hillar's plea agreement, he agreed to pay $171,415 in restitution. That was the amount he earned from police agencies, first responder groups and schools for the lectures and speeches he made while posing as a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel. He also agreed to put in 500 hours of community service work at Maryland veterans cemeteries.
But prosecutors wanted Hillar to go to prison, too. Under federal sentencing rules, he faced a possible prison term of 21 to 27 months.
In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise argued for more than two years in prison, saying Hillar profited from the lie that he was a retired Army Special Forces officer at the same time "members of the Special Forces have died in record numbers in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."
Along with posing as an expert on counterterrorism, the federal prosecutor said Hillar fabricated "a gruesome tale that his own daughter had been kidnapped and forced into sex slavery."
Hillar told audiences his daughter was kidnapped from a train between Bangkok and Singapore in 1988 and sold into the sex trade. He recounted a six-month, harrowing search he purportedly made through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and, finally, Borneo, only to learn his daughter was raped, tortured and hacked to death after she managed to escape from a sex traffickers' warehouse.
"It is hard to imagine trying to trade on the sacrifices our armed forces have made. It's even harder to imagine profiting off a fabricated tale of your own daughter's abduction and murder by sex traffickers," the prosecutor said in his memo.
Hillar claimed the 2008 film "Missing" with Liam Neeson was based on his search across Asia for his daughter.
The schools, students and groups duped by Hillar's false credentials weren't the only victims, Wise said. Hillar's real daughter is alive and well in Oregon, and "she also is a victim," he said.
The prosecutor said Hillar went so far as to allow MIIS to hold a 2009 essay contest against human trafficking in his daughter's honor.
Hillar's actual educational background included a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in special education. He spent eight years in the Coast Guard, achieving the rank of radarman, petty officer third class, the prosecutor said.
His phony credentials weren't just a ticket to jobs, but often the subject of his lectures to spellbound audiences at MIIS and other venues, the prosecutor said.
As a result, all the institutions that paid him "deemed his courses worthless and are asking for full restitution," Wise said.
The prosecutor quoted from students' comments about Hillar's deceptions. One student who took a 2007 class on counterterrorism from Hillar at MIIS said he was a "mesmerizing speaker" who claimed to have participated in questioning Guantanamo detainees - "obviously another lie."
"The damage to some of the kids who adored him and bought every word he said, however, is done," the student said.
Hillar's federal public defender didn't respond to an email message.
Larry Parsons can be reached at 646-4379 or lparsons@montereyherald.com.
August 31, 2011, Monterey Herald, MIIS lecturer gets prison for lying about military service, daughter's abduction, by Larry Parsons, Herald Staff Writer,
Posted: 08/31/2011 01:27:37 AM PDT
Updated: 08/31/2011 08:29:54 AM PDT
As a lecturer, William G. Hillar wove astonishing tales of derring-do during a larger-than-life career as a U.S. special forces commando and a dashing father who vainly tried to save his daughter from murderous Asian sex traffickers.
For a dozen years, Hillar transformed a résumé right out of thriller novels into teaching and lecturing jobs at schools and in training sessions for military, police and other emergency responder groups.
Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., who lectured from 2005 to 2010 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies on human trafficking and counterterrorism, made it all up, federal prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, Hillar was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty in March to a single count of wire fraud for his lengthy charade as a retired military officer.
Federal prosecutors in Baltimore asked U.S. District Court Judge William D. Quarles to put Hillar in prison for a lengthy term because of what one investigator called his "unconscionable" use of a false military identity for personal gain.
Hillar's bogus background came to light last fall when students at MIIS — military veterans themselves — and members of the special forces community began to ask questions about his tales and dug into his background.
"William G. Hillar claimed that he had earned praise as a hero, but the truth is that he deserves condemnation as a liar," Baltimore U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement.
Under Hillar's plea agreement, he agreed to pay $171,415 in restitution. That was the amount he earned from police agencies, first responder groups and schools for the lectures and speeches he made while posing as a retired Army Special Forces colonel. He also agreed to put in 500 hours of community service work at Maryland veterans cemeteries.
But prosecutors wanted Hillar to go to prison, too. Under federal sentencing rules, he faced a possible prison term of 21 to 27 months.
In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise argued for more than two years in prison, saying Hillar profited from the lie that he was a retired Army Special Forces officer at the same time "members of the Special Forces have died in record numbers in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."
Along with posing as an expert on counterterrorism, the federal prosecutor said, Hillar fabricated "a gruesome tale that his own daughter had been kidnapped and forced into sex slavery."
Hillar told audiences his daughter was kidnapped from a train between Bangkok and Singapore in 1988 and sold into the sex trade. He recounted a six-month, harrowing search he purportedly made through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and, finally, Borneo, only to learn his daughter was raped, tortured and hacked to death after she managed to escape from a sex trafficker's warehouse.
"It is hard to imagine trying to trade on the sacrifices our armed forces have made. It's even harder to imagine profiting off a fabricated tale of your own daughter's abduction and murder by sex traffickers," the prosecutor said in his memo.
Hillar claimed the 2008 film "Taken" with Liam Neeson was based on his search across Asia for his daughter.
The schools, students and groups duped by Hillar's false credentials weren't the only victims, Wise said. Hillar's real daughter is alive and well in Oregon, and "she also is a victim," he said.
The prosecutor said Hillar went so far as to allow MIIS to hold a 2009 essay contest against human trafficking in his daughter's honor.
Hillar's actual educational background included a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in special education. He spent eight years in the Coast Guard, achieving the rank of radarman, petty officer third class, the prosecutor said.
His phony credentials weren't just a ticket to jobs, but often the subject of his lectures to spellbound audiences at MIIS and other venues, the prosecutor said.
As a result, the institutions that paid him "deemed his courses worthless and are asking for full restitution," Wise said.
The prosecutor quoted from students' comments about Hillar's deceptions. One student who took a 2007 class on counterterrorism from Hillar at MIIS said he was a "mesmerizing speaker" who claimed to have participated in questioning Guantanamo detainees — "obviously another lie."
"The damage to some of the kids who adored him and bought every word he said, however, is done," the student said.
Hillar's federal public defender didn't respond to an email message.
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