Former White House domestic policy advisor arrested for retail fraud scheme

Claude Allen, who was up February 9 the White House domestic policy advisor, advocating abstinence education, school prayer, and opposition to abortion, was arrested this week in Maryland for a retail fraud scheme. Allen, who was previously a deputy secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services, would purchase items at Target or Hecht's, take them out to his car, return with the receipts and take an identical item off the shelf and "return" it for a credit back to his credit card. He apparently did this more than 25 times between October 29, 2005 and January 2, 2006, defrauding the stores of more than $5,000. This from a guy who was making $160,000 a year. His attorney says it's just a misunderstanding.

(From Talking Points Memo.)

UPDATE (March 14, 2006): Claude Allen has an evil twin. No, really!

UPDATE 2 (March 14, 2006): But the twin wasn't the one who admitted the scam.