2007
Kenneth William Elgin, of Tyler, Texas, doing business as West Coast Resources, Inc. and Trinidad Exploration, Inc., was indicted on May 1, 2007, in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Cause No. 6:07cr43, on charges of wire fraud; transportation of stolen goods, securities, and monies; and engaging in a monetary transaction with criminally derived property. Elgin allegedly made false representations to induce third parties to invest in projects or purchase interests in projects that Trinidad, West Coast, and Elgin did not own or control. Instead, investor monies totaling approximately $750,000 were allegedly used for personal purposes, including expensive meals, lavish purchases, the purchase of at least two vehicles, extensive travel, and the expenditure of over $200,000 at a luxury hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.