Suffolk County DA Used $3.3 Million In Asset Forfeitures To Fund Massive Public Employee "Bonuses"

Just over a month ago we wrote about the curious case of Frank Ranelli of Alabama and the growing problem of asset forfeitures all across the United States. Ranelli, who owned a local computer repair shop in Ensley, Alabama, showed up to work one day in 2010 only to later be raided by local police who proceeded to confiscate thousands of dollars worth of assets. Nothing ever came of the case and despite no official charges and no jury trial, Ranelli, after 7 years of effort, has been completely unsuccessful in recovering the assets that officers took from his business.

The morning of June 29, 2010, began much like any other day for Frank Ranelli, the owner of FAR Computers in Ensley, Alabama. Ranelli, who had owned his computer repair business just outside of Birmingham for more than two decades, was doing some paperwork in his windowless office when he heard loud banging on the front door. Within a matter of moments Ranelli was placed under arrest and all of the computer equipment in his store, much of which belonged to customers, had been confiscated by Alabama police never to be returned.

Within moments, a Homewood police sergeant had declared a room full of customers' computers, merchandise and other items "stolen goods," Ranelli recalled. He ordered his officers to "arrest them all," according to Ranelli, who was cuffed and taken to the Homewood jail along with two of his shop employees.

The police proceeded to confiscate more than 130 computers - most of which were customers' units waiting to be repaired, though some were for sale - as well as the company's business servers and workstations and even receipts and checkbooks.

"Here I was, a man, owned this business, been coming to work every day like a good old guy for 23 years, and I show up at work

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