Attorney General charges Oklahoma City couple in cell phone scam

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Oklahoma City couple is accused of taking cell phones donated from people in 41 states to help battered women and selling them for personal profit.<br/><br/>Attorney General Drew

Friday, April 8th 2005, 1:30 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Oklahoma City couple is accused of taking cell phones donated from people in 41 states to help battered women and selling them for personal profit.

Attorney General Drew Edmondson says Domingo and Heather Frias-Payan are both charged with racketeering and violating the state's Solicitation of Charitable Contributions Act. Domingo Frias-Payan is also charged with violating the Oklahoma Securities Act and offering forged or false documents.

Edmondson says the two operated Oklahoma City-based "Save a Life Give a Phone Foundation" and told people the phones would be given to battered women's shelters, victims of domestic violence, the elderly and the disabled.

He says the couple received about 100,000 phones, but donated only about 300 while selling the others for more than $1-million.