Wendy Weiner Runge Sentenced To 10 Years

Judge Douglas Staskal criticized the head of Polynation Pictures before sentencing her for attacking prosecutors and judges in public statements she has made, while blaming her plight on antisemitism and “some sort of political conspiracy.” He said the sentence was a difficult decision to make for a woman with no prior criminal history, but he could not ignore the “complete arrogant and defiant” way in which she had denied responsility for her crime.

 

 

Filmmaker Wendy Weiner Runge sentenced to 10 years
LEE ROOD • Des Moines Register

Wendy Weiner Runge tried to appear contrite Tuesday morning as she faced sentencing for fraud, telling a judge she was truly sorry for deceiving the state while trying to make movies in Iowa.

But outside the Polk County courtroom, the Minnesota filmmaker has been defiant about her culpability in Iowa’s long-running film tax-incentive debacle — a move that got the 46-year-old mother of four a 10-year sentence in Mitchellville women’s prison.

Judge Douglas Staskal criticized the head of Polynation Pictures before sentencing her for attacking prosecutors and judges in public statements she has made, while blaming her plight on antisemitism and “some sort of political conspiracy.”

He said the sentence was a difficult decision to make for a woman with no prior criminal history, but he could not ignore the “complete arrogant and defiant” way in which she had denied responsility for her crime.

“This is a case in my judgment that calls out for the court to send a message to you and others who would engage in this kind of behavior that it’s not accepted, that it’s criminal and it will not be tolerated,” Staskal said.

Staskal’s comments jolted the novice filmmaker, who had showed little emotion during much of her week-and-a-half-long trial in February. She wept quietly Tuesday in a corner of the second-floor courtroom before being ushered out by her attorney, Matthew Whitaker.

Whitaker said he had not decided whether to appeal, adding: “We are still weighing our options.”

Runge, an Omaha native, decided to accept a plea agreement proferred by prosecutors after both sides rested in her February trial. The first-degree fraudulent practices charge to which she pleaded guilty did not apply to “The Scientist,” a 2008 film that received $1.85 million in state tax credits.

Rather, she admitted she made false statements to procure tax credits for two uncompleted movies called “Forever” and “Run” before Iowa’s film program was suspended in late 2009.

But Runge hedged when she appeared before Staskal to accept that deal in court, saying she was “directed to do so by Tom Wheeler,” head of the Iowa Film Office at the time. And in her ongoing blog about the case against her, she has repeatedly denied doing anything criminal and professed to be a victim of malicious prosecution and misconduct by state officials.

Staskal scolded her for playing the victim Tuesday, saying “there was nothing muddying the water” in her case and said she was neither sincere nor genuine.

Runge’s plea was the third in connection with the scandal that engulfed the fledgling film incentive program a year and a half ago, leading to the firings or resignations of six state economic development managers. Two of her former partners who were more cooperative with prosecutors received much lighter sentences Tuesday before Staskal.

Matthias Saunders, a pivotal player in Polynation’s deals with the state, received an up to 10-year suspended sentence for first-degree theft and two years probation, meaning he will stay out of prison if he complies with the terms of his release.

Saunders, 39, who has been living in Georgia, ran a company called Maximux Production Services, and profited from services his company provided that prosecutors said were highly inflated or didn’t exist.

Chase Brandau, 26, also of Minnesota, received a deferred sentencing for second-degree theft. He will be able to wipe the felony from his record if he successfully completes to two years of probation. All three will have to pay restitution to the state, the amounts of which have not yet been determined.

Thomas H. Miller, who prosecuted the Polynation partners on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office, said lack of remorse is not typically an overriding factor in such sentencings, but Runge showed none.

“We feel the dispositions were entirely appropriate and that justice was done,” he said. “Those who pleaded early received appropriate leniency.”

Comments

[effie]

WSC: It's the state of Iowa. I tried to find out more about the state sentencing scheme, but beyond what I posted, I didn't have time to find out more. Again, I would like to know when she might be eligible for parole.

[Deremes]

"But Runge and her Chillul Hashem are defended and she is praised by the frumma (take a lot at the VIN comments).Posted by:

WoolSilkCotton | May 18, 2011 at 11:47 AM"

Not that it matters.
But i just looked at VIN and i hardly found any praise for her.
As of this time i saw about 25 comments and for the most part its not so positive.

[seymour]

"But Runge and her Chillul Hashem are defended and she is praised by the frumma (take a lot at the VIN comments).Posted by:

WoolSilkCotton | May 18, 2011 at 11:47 AM"

Not that it matters.
But i just looked at VIN and i hardly found any praise for her.
As of this time i saw about 25 comments and for the most part its not so positive.

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 01:33 PM

for once I agree with you

[Deremes]

Oy vay is mir that you agree,that means i am not that observant anymore.

[ah-pee-chorus]

clarity -

. The only charge she plead guilty to was switching titles on her movie.

last i checked theres no criminal statute on the books called "switching titles". there IS something called FRAUD which is what she did. i havent read trial transcripts but i feel pretty confident that she intended to and did defraud taxpayers by lying about what she was entitled to receive in tax credits. and i'm also sure she knew exactly what she was doing. the state didnt pursue these cases because of some sloppy paperwork. they were DEFRAUDED out of many millions of dollars. the smart ones fessed up and said, OK you caught me. she continued to lie and attack everybody even going so far as to file a suit against those bringing the charges, accusing THEM of defaming HER.
talk about chutzpah. then she refused a plea deal until she realized she was going to lose. she earned every one of those 10 years.

[corn popper]

"But Runge and her Chillul Hashem are defended and she is praised by the frumma (take a lot at the VIN comments).Posted by:

WoolSilkCotton | May 18, 2011 at 11:47 AM"

Not that it matters.
But i just looked at VIN and i hardly found any praise for her.
As of this time i saw about 25 comments and for the most part its not so positive.

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 01:33 PM

for once I agree with you

Posted by: seymour | May 18, 2011 at 01:45 PM

In all fairness to the "frumma", I and others like me, attempted to post comments on matzav that were rejected because they were critical of Grunge.

[corn popper]

Oy vay is mir that you agree,that means i am not that observant anymore.

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 01:52 PM

That's the 'pintele yid' at work.

[WoolSilkCotton]

http://www.crownheights.info/index.php?itemid=34726#c

9 out of 14 comments were very sympathetic to her.

I guess VIN must be a lot more 'liberal' than CrownHeights.info is.

Deremes, welcome to the frye velt! You are now one of Unsere here!

[Leibel Schenkel]

I've read of three individuals who had their Jewish education in the Chabad system - SMR, Ms. Runge & S. Rosenberg. All three of them always claim to be right - to the point of infallibility - & generate a lot of unwelcome Jew-baiting on the part of the readers of this blog.

[David]

Why is it so hard for frumma crooks to understand this?

Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | May 18, 2011 at 07:31 AM

Because they are not educated in secular law or ethics and are taught a perverted form of Halacha with an emphasis on ridiculous minutiae such as the correct way to clean a strawberry so there are no bugs on it but no mainstream items like "thou shalt not steal". They see the whole world as theirs to exploit how they feel like and everyone else as too stupid to do anything about it.

[seymour]

That's the 'pintele yid' at work.

Posted by: corn popper | May 18, 2011 at 03:21 PM

pintele yid'?

[seymour]

I am a little surprised that the vin readers are not screaming like they usually do.

I wonder could it be the difference it in this case it is a woman?

[Deremes]

People:

Regardless what you think that she has the Lubavitch type mentality which is the in your face, militant and its her fault she showed no remorse bla bla bla.
Are you really glad that a woman a mother is going to prison for 10 years or even 5 years?

[seymour]

stipidest comment on vin

You are 100% right..I've said it many many times..as long as we want to live amongst the goyim and not in our land they we have to live life like a shadow.

Whats irks me the most is how we have this belief that the "LAW" will somehow protect us.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

You live amongst the goyim..keep your nose clean or they will clock it for you.

what is this guys point

[seymour]

People:

Regardless what you think that she has the Lubavitch type mentality which is the in your face, militant and its her fault she showed no remorse bla bla bla.
Are you really glad that a woman a mother is going to prison for 10 years or even 5 years?

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 04:08 PM

one can be happy justice and a lesson was done.

does not mean we rejoice where any mother goes to jail. But that can be said every time any parent goes to jail

should we exempt parents from jail time

goyim have children too

[Shmarya]

I've read of three individuals who had their Jewish education in the Chabad system - SMR, Ms. Runge & S. Rosenberg. All three of them always claim to be right - to the point of infallibility - & generate a lot of unwelcome Jew-baiting on the part of the readers of this blog.

Posted by: Leibel Schenkel | May 18, 2011 at 03:38 PM

Shoteh.

1. SMR had his grade school education in a non-Chabad school. Only his yeshiva education was Chabad.

2. Runge was not Chabad educated as far as I know.

3. I had education in Chabad and outside Chabad.

So you're wrong.

But that's what happens when you concentrate on character assassination rather than the truth.

[seymour]

I've read of three individuals who had their Jewish education in the Chabad system - SMR, Ms. Runge & S. Rosenberg. All three of them always claim to be right - to the point of infallibility - & generate a lot of unwelcome Jew-baiting on the part of the readers of this blog.

Posted by: Leibel Schenkel | May 18, 2011 at 03:38 PM

S. Rosenberg might be stubborn because he backs up his word with facts.

and when proven wrong he issues a retraction

least see that in the frum world

[Deremes]

seymour,
Why do you care so much about justice done?
You are in NY she is in Iowa how does it impact you if she wouldn't have gone to jail?
Even if she would of been in NY, the same question.

[Zalman Alpert]

The Aguda and other charedi organizations keep sponsoring conferences and symposia on White Collar crime and how halacha is opposed to it. We have had statements by the Feinsteins, Novominsker, the Spinker Rebbe and Ben Brafman but nothing sems to help in Yiddish we would say "an aveirah di reyd"
So what is to be done to get the charedi world(obviously the vast majority of chareim are not involved in this) back on line ?Every week new scandals and maayses.I have no answer to this question. But certainly the answer is not by allwoing these peopel to get away with their crimes.

[WoolSilkCotton]

++Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 04:08 PM++

When you go to commit a crime, it would be good to think carefully about all the implications in case you get caught.

Why is it always the frumma defense "He (or she) has children, how can we put him (or her) in prison, what about the children?"

Deremes, if a crime happens far away from my neighborhood, I shouldn't be concerned, and the crook should be set free?

[Gevalt!]

does anyone have the link to her blog?

[seymour]

seymour,
Why do you care so much about justice done?
You are in NY she is in Iowa how does it impact you if she wouldn't have gone to jail?
Even if she would of been in NY, the same question.

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 04:24 PM

you are correct

empty the prison (but of course only yiddin)

I guess justice punishment for crimes committed is a foreign concept for a frum person?

Or maybe justice punishment by secular courts of yid is really the issue at hand

[seymour]

Deremes, if a crime happens far away from my neighborhood, I shouldn't be concerned, and the crook should be set free?

Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | May 18, 2011 at 04:40 PM

of course that is the frum mentality even when it hurts other frum communities.

They fire a moilestor from arebbie job and do not tell anybody or share that info.

The rebbie goes to a different community problem solved

see how easy it is

[Deremes]

WoolSilkCotton,

"When you go to commit a crime, it would be good to think carefully about all the implications in case you get caught"

Agreed. And even if you know for sure that you wont get caught you still shouldn't do it,a crime is a crime.

"Why is it always the frumma defense "He (or she) has children, how can we put him (or her) in prison, what about the children?"

Ever heard of Rachmonis by yidden? Its a shame that only the frumma have that midah,it should be like this in your community as well.

"Deremes, if a crime happens far away from my neighborhood, I shouldn't be concerned, and the crook should be set free?"

If it doesn't really affect me, i don't care that much.
Unless its a major crime where its followed in the news on a daily basis,then it would peek my interest and i would take a side.
It takes a certain type of person to want it that every person caught and convicted should go to prison.And usually those people are not kind people.

[seymour]

"Why is it always the frumma defense "He (or she) has children, how can we put him (or her) in prison, what about the children?"

Ever heard of Rachmonis by yidden? Its a shame that only the frumma have that midah,it should be like this in your community as well.

I am sure you have the same pity when it is a goy.

serious what do you want the courts to do?

Hey its a frum person she has children to take care of let her go.

how would you solve that problem

do you want to have pity laws for jews and not for non jews

[Shmarya]

And Shmarya- please refrain from any ridiculous name calling. I am not ignorant and am very clear with all the facts of the case. I was present at trial and heard all evidence presented.

Posted by: clarity | May 18, 2011 at 12:14 PM

You may have been there but you clearly have no grasp of the judicial process or the facts.

After both sides rested, Runge suddenly decided to plead guilty, probably because the evidence against her – especially the email where she says to her co-conspirator,http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2011/02/smoking-gun-email-from-haredi-filmmaker-wendy-weiner-runge-may-seal-her-fate-567.html

Hey, Baby. I need a final Maximus ... invoice TOMORROW MORNING for $2.3 million in an odd, round number," Runge wrote. "Add it all up ... and make it look pretty."

But even though she pleaded guilty, she never accepted her guilt and made that very public.

Under the law, a judge who sees that a person who pleaded guilty is not honest about that plea can and probably should stiffen the sentence passed down.

In Runge's case, she wrote in her own words that she was not making the plea honestly.

And because the facts of the case were very much against her, she got a potentially long sentence.

If, however, she can demonstrate her remorse, she will probably get out of prison much earlier than the 10 years.

[Deremes]

seymour,
I wasn't talking about the courts they got to do what they have to. Even many times it doesn't make sense,still its the Judges chamber and they can do whatever they desire.

Look back and read what i wrote. It was to you folks i asked what do you care so much and if you are glad that she goes to prison

[seymour]

seymour,
I wasn't talking about the courts they got to do what they have to. Even many times it doesn't make sense,still its the Judges chamber and they can do whatever they desire.

Look back and read what i wrote. It was to you folks i asked what do you care so much and if you are glad that she goes to prison

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 05:16 PM

I live in the usa and a system needs to exist to prevent people from committing crimes.

the system has to be applied to all even frum jews

[Isa]

Wendy should have gone on YouTube and cried her eyeballs out [helps if there are cut onions in the handkerchief] and some stuff like how the evil impulse got to her.

Then on another video preach about the Commandment 'Thou shalt not steal'

them maybe another video or two

All this would have got her PROBATION

[WoolSilkCotton]

++Isa | May 18, 2011 at 05:49 PM++

Isa, your posting should be required reading for all frumma.

[OMG]

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 05:16 PM

I am going to try to point you toward the shining light against my better judgment. In this case as in any other fraud case the defendant needs to play the system i.e. if he knows that he is guilty and the prosecution has the goods, than usually the best way to take care of the problem is to plead out the case, and asked for forgiveness. Contrition is the gauge, which the judge uses as measuring device. If a defendant stands in front of a judge and admits to wrongdoing but then they write on their blog that the system failed her because she is a Jew, that will show that not only she is not contrived, but also she is using the system, and committing a new fraud on the court.

From a spectators view, we believe in forgiveness as long you show that you learn from your mistake. Nevertheless, if the convict still thinks that he or she could get away with lies, we want the system to take care of the public and deal harshly with this individual. Children or not is not the sole issue contrition is on top of the list of many items the judge must look at, and I am sure that I speak for almost everybody on this blog, we are not haters we just want real justices.

[steve]

With apologies to Gwen Stefani and Yochanan Lavie:

Hey baby, hey baby, hey
Wendy says, she says
"Hey baby, hey baby, hey"
"Hey baby, baby"

I'm the kind'a girl that hangs with the crooks
like a lowdown thief with the phony books,
Takin it in tryin to be feminine,
With my sheitel washed watchin all the sin,
Misfit, I sit
lip up,wicked
Everybody else surrounded by their rebbes with the streimels and their divrei Torah

I'm just sippin on chamomile,
Watchin bachurim and shana maidels and their sex appeal,
With a judge in my face who says I'm guilty and that I tried to steal,

chorus
All the e-mails say
Hey baby,Hey baby hey,
Wendy says, Wendy says
hey baby hey baby hey,
Hey baby baaaaaabbby,
Hey baby hey baby hey,
The damning evidence says,
Heybaby hey baby hey,
All the bachurim get the girls in the back (of the bus)

I'm the one the hicks feed upon,Give a bit a star is born,
And if you're frum enough you'll get the pass so you can tell your friends at Agudah how innocent you are,
No matter what they say i'm still the same bitch ,Somehow Shmarya knows my name,And all the blogs wanna run with my story and I really like it

chorus
All the e-mails say
Hey baby,Hey baby hey
Wendy says, Wendy says
hey baby, hey baby hey
Make it look pretty,
Hey baby hey baby hey,
Boys say, boys say
Heybaby hey baby hey,
All the boys get the girls in the back(of the bus)

[Yochanan Lavie]

Steve: I thoroughly enjoyed that one. Good job.

[effie]

I've read of three individuals who had their Jewish education in the Chabad system - SMR, Ms. Runge & S. Rosenberg. All three of them always claim to be right..

Two have been convicted of serious crimes of moral turpitude, one has not...

[steve]

Thanks YL. Coming from you, it means a lot!

[seymour]

Wendy should have gone on YouTube and cried her eyeballs out [helps if there are cut onions in the handkerchief] and some stuff like how the evil impulse got to her.

Then on another video preach about the Commandment 'Thou shalt not steal'

them maybe another video or two

All this would have got her PROBATION

Posted by: Isa | May 18, 2011 at 05:49 PM

problem is they would be again lying

since the talmuld says that commandment is only for stealing a person kidnapping

[Abracadabra]

Steve - that was great! :)

[Bfeirush in Fartscroll]

Vos is neies readers have less brains in them than my hot fetid stool.

[effie]

People say her poor family. Again, I have no idea how old her children are. They could be adults. Also, you think her husband wasn't privy to her schemes? Doesn't look like he discouraged her so I'm not going to feel sorry that he now has to visit his wife in the gray bar hotel.

[WoolSilkCotton]

++If it doesn't really affect me, i don't care that much...It takes a certain type of person to want it that every person caught and convicted should go to prison.And usually those people are not kind people.
Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 05:03 PM++

Deremes, since we live at least 50 miles apart, it is ok with me if every criminal in jails in your neighborhood is released. I especially have rachmones for all the criminals who are fathers (or mothers), and with Father's Day coming up in a few weeks, it would be nice to release all the criminals in Brooklyn as soon as possible.

Deremes, if you had a lot of money, and if she knew you, you don't think this woman Runge would try some kind of scam on you? She is a sociopath. She does not discriminate. If you have money, she will look for ways to cheat you out of it, even a schainer yid like you.

++It takes a certain type of person to want it that every person caught and convicted should go to prison.And usually those people are not kind people.++

Whenever a chasidic Jew is the victim of a serious crime, you see the courtroom packed with other chasidic Jews to show their support and demand justice and a stiff sentence for the criminal.
I applaud such unity by the religious community.
But according to you, these Jews are 'not kind people'. Maybe you are a self-hating Jew. Please clarify.

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

KCCI-TV is reporting a slightly different version of the sentence:
http://www.kcci.com/r/27922306/detail.html
Per the KCCI report, there will be another hearing to determine the exact prison sentence. I really don't know what a "10-year sentence indeterminate incarceration' is.

[effie]

It means the judge determined the maximum she can serve (10 years) and the DOC and parole board will determine how long she will actually serve.

[Deremes]

""Whenever a chasidic Jew is the victim of a serious crime, you see the courtroom packed with other chasidic Jews to show their support and demand justice and a stiff sentence for the criminal.
I applaud such unity by the religious community.
But according to you, these Jews are 'not kind people'. Maybe you are a self-hating Jew. Please clarify.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | May 19, 2011 at 08:18 AM"""

I think there is no need to clarify why whenever a chasidic Jew is the victim of a serious crime, you see the courtroom packed with other chasidic Jews to show their support and demand justice and a stiff sentence for the criminal. Because you know why

[WoolSilkCotton]

++It takes a certain type of person to want it that every person caught and convicted should go to prison.And usually those people are not kind people.

Posted by: Deremes | May 18, 2011 at 05:03 PM++

Deremes, read what you wrote at 5:03PM. Then read what I wrote at 8:18AM.

According to you, such Jews are 'not kind people', because they are demanding that the criminal should go to prison.

That is what I need you to clarify. I assume you want 2 different standards, one for if the frummer Jew is the victim (you want maximum sentencing), and a different one for it the frummer Jew is the perpetrator (you want him set free).

[ah-pee-chorus]

WSC- it seems deremes didnt like having his hypocrisy served up.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Our friend Deremes has a convenient way of misunderstanding or ignoring that which doesn't suit him.

[Deremes]

No, WSC,i don't have convenient way of misunderstanding or ignoring that which doesn't suit me.
Not everything should be written out in the public,if you know what i mean.
But i will try to answer in short.

When someones sees two Jews fighting on the streets with fists, why would a goy wonder about it? why would they say: i cant believe that i saw two Jews fighting?

Don't tell me that the same wonder goes when two black people are fighting
Got my point?

[ah-pee-chorus]

deremes-

youve made it abundantly clear that youre a vile racist, but you still havent answered the question nor defended your complete hypocrisy in which you want jews to hope for short sentences for other frum jews found guilty of crimes or they are 'not kind people' and yet applaud when frum jews go to court looking for the most severe sentences when a jew is the victim?

hypocricize much?
run away from answering much?

[WoolSilkCotton]

Nowadays, people are not so provincial as to be surprised that two Jews are fighting, either physically, or with strong differences of opinion.

Those ethnic groups and minorities that still "stick up for each other no matter what" are not highly regarded by goyem or anyone else.

A certain amount of ethnic pride and sense of community is fine, but there is a line you cross when it comes to asking me to cover up for the crimes of another Jew.

Did you have any respect for Al Sharpton when he defending the alleged attackers in the Central Park Jogger case? Or the Tawana Brawley case? Or the Bernie Goetz case? If you are from the NY area, and you are at least 40 years old, you know what I am referring to.

Nobody respects such tactics, covering up and aiding criminals of one's own race or religion just because they are that race or religion. That time has passed, but you and a lot of frumma still stick with such an approach.

This website may or may not be viewed by a lot of nonJews, and that's ok with me either way. Let them see that we have issues like so many other people, and that at least we recognize that bad behavior by a Jew will be criticized by another Jew, no holds barred, and we do not have a double standard where we think that it's ok for Jews to commit crimes, or that it's ok to commit crimes as long as the victim is not Jewish.
Let those who look at FM see that we all stand for decency and justice for all, and that the laws of America are our laws, too.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Deremes, what do you think the NY Police were thinking when they were breaking up riots and fist fights between rival groups of Satmar? Can the Chillul Hashem have gotten much bigger?

[Deremes]

Posted by: ah-pee-chorus.| May 19, 2011 at 04:39 PM

Yes, Apikoras, you call it racism so be it.
In all generations Jews were accused of racism that the Torah puts Jews before gentiles and in most part they suffered from Meshimodeim and apikorsaom
Everyone is a racist when it benefits them
Arent you a racist when it comes to Jews who follow the Torah

[Deremes]

Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | May 19, 2011 at 04:47 PM

It was a huge Chillul Hashem,agreed.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Arent you a racist when it comes to Jews who follow the Torah

Posted by: Deremes

your ignorance is astounding.

[FormerPostvillian]

Maybe certain "chassidim" should rethink the concept of only one true judge?

The video was amazing, I wonder if Sholom has seen it?

WoolSilk - Loved your Rebbe story, I could follow that Rebbe.

[Get the facts, jack]

To Clarity, you are wrong and either you do not know the facts or you are lying! I know people who were invited to invest with Wendy as she told them about these great taax credits that they would get. This couple went to their investment advisor who told them to stay away from this investment as it was clearly illegal.