I have a story to tell. A story I have not wanted to even whisper about. It has stayed with me for over four years. While Scott Shields—the central character in this sordid tale—has, and continues to, deceive many unsuspecting souls, it shames me to even have to acknowledge that I, too, fell victim. Yet, I am hopeful that its readers will come to see that bigger, far more important matters, are at issue here. Certainly, far bigger than my wounded pride. ~ Rochelle Lesser, September 26, 2006   

► Updates can be accessed here.
► PDF copy of this article
► Copy of Federal Indictment of Scott Shields can be accessed here.
► Incriminating Video
► Eyewitness account from NYPD K9 Lt.
► Co-Author Sets the Story Straight 


Setting the Stage
In the past five years, our world has irrevocably changed. It began on September 11, 2001 as we were jolted by a coordinated attack upon our country—carried out by nineteen hijackers who took control of four commercial airliners. Labeled America's bloodiest day and the second Pearl Harbor, we were riveted by the horrific scenes of destruction and grievously saddened by a record 2,967 deaths.
 

Thursday, September 13, 2001 Today the team from the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation [Sacramento's FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 7] split into two 31 person teams and started 24-hour operations in the area of Barclay & West Broadway at the World Trade Center Tishman Center. This was the 47-story building which collapsed shortly after the World Trade Center collapsed. The start of operations required transporting the rescue equipment to a forward staging area near the site. The search dogs conducted searches of the building and surrounding buildings. But, sadly, no victims were located. The remainder of the team assisted the Structure Specialist in assessing building stability and locating voids in the collapsed buildings. The team indicated that the destruction was spread over 100 square blocks from Ground Zero, with debris piled 11-stories high. Due to unstable buildings, there were concerns of being able to gain access.

I truly believe that those unimaginable images from Ground Zero have been indelibly ingrained onto our consciousness. And, clearly, the September 11th attacks are among the most historic events to have occurred thus far in the 21st century with respect to the profound political, psychological, economic, and health effects that followed in our country as well as several other parts of the world. ...

Now, jump ahead with me four years to a time when our senses were again shocked beyond comprehension. On August 29th, 2005 Hurricane Katrina touched down along the Central Gulf Coast and caused massive damage along the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. With levees separating Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans now breached by the surging water, 75 percent of the city of New Orleans became flooded, with some parts of the city under 20 feet of water. The largest civil engineering disaster, as well as one of the deadliest natural disasters in our history, this storm has claimed 1,420 lives, with more than 2,000 people still remaining unaccounted for. Moreover, the event continues to have major implications for a large segment of the population, as well as for the economy of and politics for the entire country.
 

Given the name Ringo Star, this unclaimed Golden swam through Katrina and was picked up by Louisiana State University's Veterinarian Center. After being unclaimed for a long period, the dog was sent to Plantation, Florida and was adopted by Deborah R. Dolen in Sarasota. The head sets were because the plane was too loud for his ears. Before Deborah could retrieve Ringo, Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida leaving most of the Animal Rescues without electricity. Dolphin Aviation pitched in and a pilot named Dan Fleming volunteered to make a one hour flight to Ft. Lauderdale and pick up Ringo. On the flight, Deborah noticed the whole area of Ft. Lauderdale looked like corn fields that a tornado hit. But, they were not corn fields, they were huge forests of trees. Not to mention trailer parks and homes totally obliterated.

There has been much opportunism associated with the September 11th tragedy. Many people have fraudulently collected benefits through governmental programs to aid both emergency workers and those in NYC who suffered residentially related loss. And, there have been many different selling scams, an estimated $2.5 million fraudulently taken.

Sadly, we may never be  immune from those members of our society who prey on the system or on others when they are at their most vulnerable. We seem to easily fall victim at times of disaster, as such times lead us to think more with our hearts than is probably wise. That is what happened to me after 9-11, and I have been haunted by the consequences ever since.



My Golden Obsession
In those first few weeks, myself and fellow dog lovers were glued to their televisions, hoping against all hopes that we would somehow see life emerge from the huge pile of twisted metal beams and smoking hot debris. Tragically, we never did.

We were all genuinely pained by the emotional suffering which was so clearly etched on the dusty faces of our noble firefighters and emergency management personnel. And, we were worried about the stress and physical danger that was affecting both our two- and four-legged workers.

Also visually overwhelmed by the crowded collages of posted signs from those searching for their loved ones, I believe we collectively yearned for images and stories that could communicate a sense of resilience and strength of spirit. Simple images of love and devotion and purity of heart. So for many, the dark rimmed brown-eyes and deep soulful expressions of the Golden Retriever workers, in particular, became a much welcomed sight.

Some Goldens worked tirelessly on the pile beside their beloved human handlers and companions. At the same time, other Golden workers brought cheer to volunteers needing to cope with the stress of helping victims. Receiving the state of New York's highest award from its Governor, Golden Nikie and Frank Shane's K9 Disaster Relief Therapy organization—without a doubt—provided a critical mental health service. Following the dedication ceremonies of the City of New York’s respite facility at Ground Zero, the Mayor even had to smile and come over to Nikie. Then, gently petting his soft fur, he readily affirmed what we all feel: "When I see him, I feel better too!”

My Golden family has provided an important lifeline for me, and my spirit continues to be touched by the wonders of the human-canine bond. Dogs Never Lie About Love: Reflections on the Emotional World of Dogs author Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson undeniably sheds light on why: “There is some profound essence, something about being a dog, which corresponds to our notion of an inner soul, the core of our being that makes us most human. In human animals, this core, I am convinced, has to do with our ability to reach out and help a member of another species, to devote our energy to the welfare of that species, even when we do not stand to benefit from the other—in short, to love the other for its own sake. If any species on earth shares this miraculous ability with us it is the dog, for the dog truly loves us sometimes beyond expectation, beyond measure, beyond what we deserve, more, indeed than we love ourselves.”

It is this very sentiment—our dogs loving us beyond expectation, and undeniably, beyond what we deserve—that drives my telling of this story.


Honoring our Golden Workers
In watching the Ground Zero news clips of our Golden workers in action, I came to learn of a man named Scott Shields who had gone onto the pile with his dog, Bear. While there were a few photos online, as well as some television footage, I was unable to access any information in order to contact Scott. So, I took to the online dog forums, joining and then posting to various groups on SAR (Search & Rescue) Dogs and Emergency Management. But, absolutely no one had any knowledge about this particular team. Oh, how I wish I would have picked up on this, now important, early clue.

I had wanted to expand the pages at my Land of PureGold site so that these special Golden Ground Zero workers would be featured. While I already had pages on many various working dog professions, I had not included a major focus on the field of Urban Search & Rescue. I had not known that when earthquakes, tornadoes or bombs reduced huge office buildings to rubble, it was our Disaster Search Dogs who searched out victims in these collapsed structures. In fact, they are the only ones at this time who are trained to do this work, and they must submit to very difficult testing and national certification standards. At the time of the September 11th Attacks, there were only 48 dog and handler teams trained to an Advanced level and certified as FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] Type 1 Advanced Canine Teams.

But, I learned all of this when I began reading the articles online about these incredibly trained animals. And, so I added a page to my site about our talented Disaster Search Goldens. Initially, I did not have much information in the form of detailed photos or stories but in the weeks to come I was able to make contact with one such FEMA group and provided a wonderful diary of their work at Ground Zero. And, I was still hoping for more information to come out on Scott and Bear, so that their work could be more greatly detailed.

I think Scott must have been scanning those same working dog forums where I had first posted. What else would account for that initial phone call, which began with "Hello. My name is Captain Scott Shields..."  If you remember back to those early days following the attacks, the gratitude toward our public safety workers was quite high given the risks they were taking just to remain on the scene. In this respect, I was no different. Expressing my thanks for his and Bear's contribution, I came to learn much more of their story. Scott very much wanted to be part of my site and provided many photos of himself and Bear, as well as links to articles about his work. He then began calling me daily, sometimes a few times a day, providing me with his continued perspective on the work down at Ground Zero.

Scott was thrilled with my site and the page that was devoted solely to he and Bear. It was bringing him much attention as thousands and thousands of Golden lovers were frequenting these pages in those early days. It was also resulting in many Golden folks contacting me, wanting to know if there was any way they could help Scott and Bear. With Scott's agreement, I put together a raffle to raise funds for him. And, I sold sets of cards created from my own artistic renderings of an old beachfront photograph of Bear (shown here).

What a massive undertaking in both time and money. Yet, it was heartwarming to see how happy Golden folks became when they were able to somehow—through Bear—feel that they were personally helping with the 9-11 tragedy. It almost seemed to function like an emotional salve, applied directly to their hearts.

With the help of close to a hundred Golden lovers, well over a thousand dollars was raised for Scott and Bear. Although there was much happiness all around about the success of these endeavors, I soon began to question Scott's actions as he described his days during the spring and early summer of 2002.


Closing the Book
According to Dr. Marty Becker, “Our pets lend a touch of grace to our lives. They teach us the real meaning of unconditional love and bring out the kindest and most generous impulses of humanity.” Sadly, Bear was unable to bring out the humanity in his beloved human companion Scott. What began as a cherished life on the water for over ten years, ended in pain and disillusionment at the hands of his supposedly loving master.

Scott was never one to take training seriously and Bear's only training came from the oddball methods that Scott personally employed. Although I had attended obedience classes for years and knew far more than Scott about what formal training practices truly entailed, I found myself caught up in his stories despite their merits being rigorously attacked by legitimate Search & Rescue professionals.

I learned that Scott's stories about working down at Ground Zero for six months were just that .... stories. He was, in actuality, asked to leave the site his second day on the pile. This was due to the fact that he was not a recognized Search & Rescue professional. Yet, he wove tales of his and Bear's exhaustive work and even of their both being injured due to their work there. On an online forum that has attempted to detail the many frauds perpetuated by this man, one of the members offers this telling commentary:

"There's also that little issue of him collecting disability for his 'injuries' from working at Ground Zero. He claims he broke both knees and an ankle. Yet he was clearly physically fine approximately one month later while walking behind Hilary Clinton in NYC at the Columbus Day parade. That's a pretty quick recovery time for such serious injuries!"

It was always an impossible task to get any straight answers from Scott about his situation and what he was doing those many months after the attacks. I continually wondered how he could afford to live in a high rent area of the city despite his not having worked for some time before 9/11 and thereafter. My only experience with the costs of being in NYC honestly shocked me. Forking over $5 for one of the area's famous 'Black & White" cookies a few years back told me more than I ever wanted to know about general living expenses in the city.

Sadly, I learned that Scott was trying to build onto his 15 minutes of fame, but at the expense of his purportedly beloved Bear. Here was an animal who was quite senior in years at 12 years of age. An animal who had been injured by the dangerous metal debris on the pile. An animal that was used to either spending his summer days indoors in an air conditioned home or enjoying the cooling breezes off the Connecticut waters on Scott's boat. But, tragically, now Bear was forced to walk the hot asphalt streets of the city day in and day out. Scott and Bear would venture out in the morning and continue until nighttime. Always dressed in his mock rescue outfit, embellished with numerous patches, with Bear sporting a bright orange rescue vest, Scott would seek out the folks who often frequented the area streets.

I was shocked to learn about what Bear was now being asked to endure, despite observers relating their own concerns about this to Scott. However, this fell on deaf ears despite the fact that Bear was reportedly now beginning to show outward signs of physical decline. So, I searched out veterinary health professionals in NYC that could possibly provide services for Bear. How excited I was when I learned of a woman who had a facility within blocks of Scott's city residence, a facility that could provide hydrotherapy sessions for Bear. And, because Bear had been at Ground Zero, he would be given these quite expensive therapy appointments (over $100 per 30 minute session) at no charge. Excitedly, I relayed the great news to Scott, assuming that he would not delay in setting up appointments for Bear. Knowing how Bear loved the water, I thought this would be just perfect for him.

But, who could have predicted what happened next? Who knew that the reality of who Scott really was would finally hit home? You see, I was later contacted by the hydrotherapist who indicated that Scott had not come in for his scheduled appointments and no matter how often they were rescheduled for him, he just always failed to show. Obviously taking a huge financial loss in keeping these hours open for Scott, she finally had to sever this generous offer.

I contacted Scott who was unable to deny any of this. The man who was so concerned about his wonderful Bear just didn't want to take the time away from parading up and down the streets. I guess it just wasn't that important in the scheme of things. Such blatant disregard and neglect was beyond my comprehension, and I felt humiliated about having presented his story as an honest one. And although I removed every mention of Scott Shields and Bear from my site in the summer of 2002, the stench still remained.


Death Springs Eternal
I continued to be updated about Scott's sordid story, learning that Bear died on September 23, 2002, at almost 13 years of age. The proceedings following his death were filmed, as was his funeral. And, while it is not on film, and certainly only hearsay, I heard that Scott's sister incongruously asked, "What do we do now? He's dead."

In my naiveté I could not even begin to fathom what was to be set in motion. I thought Scott would pocket the memories from his small brush with fame, and go on his way. But, just the opposite occurred. This silly man's claims of having the most celebrated dog were actually being taken seriously. And, it appeared that the prodigious firm of Proskauer Rose LLP was also taken in by this man—despite his repeated evictions, poor business practices & bankruptcy—affording him even more credibility in their formation of his foundation in Bear's memory.

Currently, at the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation website, this address is provided for grant applications: Anthony T. Wladyka III, Esq., Proskauer Rose LLP, 1585 Broadway, Suite 19-62, New, York, NY 10036-8299. I contacted this attorney and he indicated having no relationship with Mr. Shields, his having requested for years that this erroneous information be removed. Specifically, Mr. Wladyka imparted the following: "My wife and I submitted letters of resignation a number of years ago. I have asked Scott a few times over the years to take my name off the website and asked again recently. I forward any Foundation mail I receive to Scott unopened and direct any calls I receive to him as well."


Perpetuating a Myth
Truthiness is a satirical term coined by Stephen Colbert, his intention to convey this message: "'What I say is right, and [nothing] anyone else says could possibly be true.' It's not only that I feel it to be true, but that I feel it to be true. There's not only an emotional quality, but there's a selfish quality." That narcissistic emphasis is also relayed in John C. Bogle's view that truthiness is the "presentation of ideas and numbers that convey neither more nor less than what we wish to believe in our own self-interest, and persuade others to believe too."
 

I honestly doubt that Scott believes the repeated lies that he has put out in the media. But with the lies firmly entrenched due to poor fact-checking, it is confusing for people to truly understand who is right. How could it be possible that a man would receive proclamations and be listed in the legislature's records for his proud deeds, when they never occurred? How could people listen to his repeated assertions of 'Bear found the most, did the most, had the most live finds by a dog', and not believe in his rightful place in history? How could one come away from the nearly 1500 'results' from a Google Search of Bear Search and Rescue Foundation without believing in his credibility?

I guess it is the same way that despite presidential press conferences and several government documents including those from the 9/11 Commission, a recent New York Times/CBS Poll reveals that almost one-third of Americans still believe that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the 9/11 terror attacks. And, while the White House credits some of the confusion to former CIA Director George Tenet, I guess it makes sense that Bush went on in 2004 to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It must be a function of the medals Scott has received.

But, one only needs to remember what was the ultimate tragedy at Ground Zero . . . which was this. Despite the many brave firefighters and rescue professionals sadly risking their lives—and as we now learn their health—there were no live  finds by a dog. The rescue effort quickly became one of recovery. How that elemental piece of information could be lost is simply beyond comprehension.

During those many months that Scott was seeking publicity so that he could detail the amazing work of his Bear, he came to speak to many groups, including that of our most impressionable youth. Think about the layers of deception in the following statement that he matter-of-factly made (on tape) to a group of boy scouts:   video

Now, as you listen below, let me count the lies―that in 17 seconds and less than 20 words―Scott managed to tell.

Katrina: Ripe for the Taking
To visit Scott's Foundation website, and see the accolades and repeated claims of good deeds, you could begin to wonder if he has somehow been wrongly maligned. That confusion is what Scott is hoping for. Yet, do be sure to read the fine print that follows at the home page of his site: "Disclaimer: The Bear Search and Rescue Foundation shall not be liable for any errors in the content of any of the articles  displayed on this site."

I believe Scott is always on the look-out for the next big disaster. And, it comes as no surprise that he would try to benefit from the Katrina disaster. This photo shows the press conference that he called for before even getting to Louisiana. Just look at what Scott claims at his site about his Hurricane Katrina Rescue Efforts:

"The Bear Search & Rescue Foundation deployed 27 teams to Hurricane Katrina (that it had funded or trained in the last four years). These teams averaged 220 human rescues per team along with hundreds of animals. The special boat teams, led by Captain Scott Shields, for the 3rd Brigade 82nd Airborne (with 45 boats supplied by the Foundation) rescued just under 6000 people with boats and boat crews provided by the Bear Search & Rescue Foundation. In all 11,000 people and hundreds of animals are alive today because of the Foundation."

And, in Sharon Schlegel's September 21, 2005 article at his site, "A witness to Katrina's tragedy," Scott reflected on his search and rescue work: "For the past two weeks, except for a few occasional stolen hours of sleep, Shields worked day and night with marine search and rescue (SAR) teams put together with his help from members of the Army 82nd Airborne Division, steering their boats through the flooded streets of the city. The upshot of their efforts was 847 live rescues, the evacuation of 4,106 people by boat and the saving of dozens of animals that had been lost or abandoned, he reports."

Pretty amazing stuff, don't you think? Try to keep these New Orleans figures in mind: Scott's "two weeks" of rescue work, his foundation providing "847 live rescues" and evacuating "under 6000 people", and that 11,000 people are alive today because of his group. Now, let's talk to some other rescuers who worked the site.

James Kushner and Todd Shea provided assistance in Louisiana for three weeks following the hurricane [see Back from Louisiana's Front Lines and Louisiana Animal Control Association]. A former marine, James is a member of Auxiliary Coast Guard Flotilla 5-10 and the Battery Park City Marine Search & Rescue team. Todd has provided Tsunami disaster relief and in Pakistan administered the American hospital that he and James helped to establish in the devastated Kashmir following the earthquake. Todd has been cited twice by the government of Pakistan for his role in their relief effort.

According to James, an article appeared in The Navigator Online Magazine on November 20th 2005. He felt the US Coast Guard and its Auxiliary were disgraceful for claiming "that during Hurricane Katrina Mr. Scott Shields worked with the 82nd Airborne to bring 4,106 victims to safety."  As James noted, "This is a far cry from the 941 souls officially claimed rescued from flooded areas by the 82nd in their official report on Operation American Assist. Rather than being the savior of New Orleans, Scott was nothing but an impediment to the rescue efforts."

Various folks from the Scott Shields Fraud Forum offered the following remarks: [This forum was created in January 2006 in an attempt to stop Scott from committing further frauds. The site contains records detailing a history of defrauding landlords and small businesses. Although the site's author has contacted several law enforcement agencies regarding Scott's activities, no arrests or indictments have been announced to date.]

"The dumb part is Scott has NO idea what really went on down there [in Louisiana]. I was there. You did NOT work at night. Waaaay to dangerous. No one was allowed. How do you evac 4100 people by boat and then turn it into 11,000?"

"Probably hard to work with your world-famous biography tucked under one arm and your foundation flyers under the other. [In this photo] he really does have the book under his arm while everybody else busts their chops."

"In those pictures, if you look, he is in shorts and just shoes ... looks like he is on vacation while everyone else has knee pads on and is working ... and that was just at camp."

"I believe that he went from 22 teams to 27 as is now posted on his website. Scott can't name five teams. His numbers exceed the entire 82nd Airborne's numbers including the Superdome evacuation. So even if he took credit for all of their hard work, his numbers are still an aberration."
 

When Does it End?
A special Golden friend and retired police chief told me: "The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they do turn. Some day this will be totally brought to light." I would like to think that is true but it does grow harder and harder to believe.

It is disturbing to me that at Scott's Foundation it is noted that "Captain Scott Shields, along with Bear's son, Theodore, are available for public speaking engagements/presentations" on areas such as Emergency Management, the Use of General Aviation Volunteers with Search & Rescue, and a Search & Rescue Overview of the World Trade Center. As early as 2002, Scott began making presentations. How hideous that he was passing himself off such an authority on the Search & Rescue work at the WTC. However, a friend of mine from a well-known Golden Rescue organization had not been duped, relaying the following after learning about this current situation.

Scott asked us if he could speak at our auction in 2002. Something didn't sit well with me when all his publicity came out. I had a friend who is an investigative reporter in NYC and he did some research for me. The facts didn't add up so we politely declined his offer. That and Scott wanted us to put him up in a five star hotel for three days .... with a rental car. :-) I never heard anything after that until now. Seems my guy was right! We're all human and we like to see the good in everyone. I'm the worst offender here but I also have learned to trust my inner voice ... when it works!

It is so difficult to see school children believing Scott's multitude of myths and donating their hard earned dollars to him. In the May 6, 2006 article, Boy, 12, Raises Money For 9/11 Rescue Dog Foundation, we learn that a youngster named J.P. Wilkinson raised $1,000 for Shields' foundation. And, in the April 20, 2006 article, It's part of the job for search-and-rescue dog, we learn that as part a service project, English teacher Marissa Reynolds' team raised more than $500 over a period of two months for Shields' foundation through a bake sale and an appeal letter sent to students' parents.

Yet, tellingly, on the sole IRS Form 990 filed for his foundation, only roughly 6% of its donations are going out as grants to Search & Rescue groups. According to Guidestar, a public database for information on non-profit organizations, the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation has submitted only one Form 990 to the IRS for the year 2003. However, this form was not filed until April 2006. And despite there being $37,210 in donations, only two grants were given, their totaling $2,812. Subtracting for his stated expenses, an excess of over $29,000 was left. As one of the fraud forum members noted, the foundation's "mission is to help and equip SAR teams. Six percent seems quite pathetic."

But, the first break in the case might have come with Recchia and Hamilton's September 25, 2006 article in the New York Post. This is the first time, after a wait of too many years, that Scott's questionable ethics and mistruths have been detailed in print.
 

And, it is amazing what this small crack in what has been a closed door all these years can do. Already, Search and Rescue professional, Chris Lyons, has written this letter to The New York Post editor, hoping to spur others to reveal their own tales about their experiences with Scott Shields.

To whom it may concern:
I'd like to say right off the bat, how happy I am that finally this guy is getting the real media attention he deserves. However, there needs to be more ... A LOT more. Scott Shields is a FRAUD. Plain and Simple. I met Mr. Shields on two separate occasions and have been looking into his background ever since.     
                            
The first time I met him, we were on a search for a missing girl. Scott claimed his dog [Theodore] was a "trained search dog". Scott's dog chased butterflies, rolled around on the grass, and tore up a knapsack that he found destroying evidence (Scott had a tug-of-war with a sweat shirt the dog pulled out). We were lucky that it did not belong to the missing girl. The highlight was when Scott's dog attacked and bit (drawing blood) on an NYPD Police Dog. It was then that we were told, that Scott's dog was untrained. Scott stayed out of jail by promising to pay the vet costs. No payment has ever been made (and we have spoken to the officer).

The next time I met Mr. Shields was during a disabled Kayaker event that took place on the Hudson River. Unfortunately, I didn't recognize Scott. It had been a year and a half later. Scott was wearing a badge that stated that he was an EMT. Scott not only put peoples' lives in danger, but almost cost a woman her health by stating that because he was an EMT, he was calling the shots. We were able to call another boat out (against Scott's wishes) and get the woman medical attention. When we returned, I told the guy in charge I wanted the Police there because Scott was no EMT. Then, cell phones and pagers started ringing. The Staten Island Ferry had crashed. I had a motorcycle. I took one passenger and shot over to help. There is NO way anyone beat me there with the amount of traffic that was encountered. If you talk to Scott, he was there rescuing people, another lie.   

I worked at the WTC disaster, everyday. I never saw Scott. I was down in New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina, and never saw Scott. I do know he was there. I was approached and told he was escorted off the Iwo Jima. I have also spoken to the Deputy Chief of NOPD and the Superintendent (Commissioner) of the NOPD. I told them of Scott and his supposed 5,000 - 11,000 rescues. They were appalled and said they would like to speak with him next time he is in town. Scott also claims to have deployed 27 Search and Rescue teams. He didn't. An example was NY Search and Rescue. He claimed to have deployed them. I have spoken to them directly (and I can put you in direct contact with the two top people in charge), and they were furious. They even had to put a statement up on their website stating they had not been deployed by any individuals.    
                            
On one note about Scott's world famous dog. Scott's dog did not die of WTC injuries. I have spoken with the insurance company that Scott conned out of $3000 by using the media to get it. They were nice enough to give any dog working 9/11 a blanket insurance policy. Scott used them. What most don't know is Scott also received another $3000 from the North Shore Animal League. The sad part, he never paid the vet bill and pocketed $6000.                                

Please continue following this clown. Do not give up. He is very clever. But, you will find that you will have many people who have realized he is a fake and are willing to help. Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
Chris Lyons

After the New York Post article appeared, I emailed Philip Recchia, one of its authors. The subject of my post to him was this—Great story but there are so many more questions I fear. Here is the full text of my brief note:

I am thrilled that the real story of Scott Shields has finally cracked the media. As there have been so many articles that have put out false information, it has been a long wait for an article to finally get it right. I feel responsible for his having been able to extend his 15 minutes of fame, as he initially gained credibility through my Land of PureGold website. I do hope that this story is merely the beginning. While it does not seem to match the potency of the recent tale of the million dollar fraud, I think that there is far more to this story that may well document far greater deceit.

Surprisingly, merely an hour later, I received this reply from Philip: "Yes, there IS much more to say about Scott Shields. Not sure when we can get to it, but I hope other media begins picking up on it."  Let's all hope they do .....

 

ARTICLE UPDATES

• April 2, 2008
• April 1, 2008
• March 28, 2008
• March 27, 2008
• February 11, 2007
• February 10, 2007
• July 20, 2007
• July 19, 2007
• July 15, 2007
• September 20, 2006
   

UPDATE: April 2, 2008

Okay, I just could not resist. I just received a pdf copy of an article that cannot be found online but that made the Late City Final Edition of the New York Post on March 30th. It was written by Philip Recchia, a reporter who broke the news initially in an article from September 25, 2006: FRAUD PROBE HOUNDS RESCUER.

I simply love the title: From hero to heel: 9/11 ‘fraud’ ripped off 50G and the photo caption that so aptly defines Shields as a “Ground Zero liar.” Click on the reduced newspaper photo page to the right (and then be sure to click on the symbol to magnify to its full size) to get the full take on how this article appeared this past Sunday, March 30th, and why I call this update entry “3rd Boob down”.

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UPDATE: April 1, 2008

What a grand photo this is. Just goes to show the chutzpah this man truly has. It shows Theo, the dog that Scott has repeatedly lied about, as to his being a descendant of Bear. He has absolutely no training of any kind but Scott dresses him up in a Red Cross Rescue vest and sticks phony patches and badges all over it.

I just love these comments at the paper’s site about Scott’s incessant lying . . .
From Jane Doe —

Obviously Mr. Shields is trying to blow a smoke screen over the essence of his fraud which is that he never should have applied for FEMA assistance in the first place. He was living in Connecticut at the time of 911 and had lived in CT for years. He moved frequently due to failure to pay his rents. He had declared bankruptcy shortly before 911 and was evicted from his Connecticut residence and needed housing. He did not move to NYC until March of 2002. After living in Battery Park City in a luxury high-rise and stiffing the landlord he moved to 39th Street where he again stiffed the landlord. As for 911 work, he was kicked off the pile after three days. He then hung around Ground Zero seeking publicity. He sometimes claimed to be writing up “lessons learned”. This was a volunteer activity he invented in order to have a reason to hang around Ground Zero getting freebies. Many, many people know about this scam in great detail—mostly because of Mr. Shields own boasting!

Also, in the longer version of the YouTube tape referred to here and that was shown on local television, the firefighter says that the carnage was everywhere under the debris and that he had no idea of how a search and rescue dog works. The firefighters knew where the Chief was located as they knew exactly where the Command Center had been relocated to. Mr. Shields simply followed them to the spot. Mr. Shields should not try to tweak the facts.

From Dave —

FYI: The YouTube Video cited by Mr. Shields' attorney, Jonathan Marks is owned by Mr. David Mintzer (Ideogram Productions) and is part of a larger work. The individuals who obtained and posted this copyrighted work were never given permission to do so (listed onYouTube as Ann Casey and BSRF) by the owner, Mr. Mintzer. YouTube is presently being notified of alleged Federal Copyright Violations for this infringement. Thank you to Mr. Marks for bringing yet another alleged infraction of Mr. Shields to the attention of injured parties and, of course, to the media!

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UPDATE: March 28, 2008

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UPDATE: March 27, 2008

W. Windsor man pleads guilty in 9/11 relief fund fraud by Ryan Tracy/The Times Thursday March 27, 2008, 5:32 PM Scott Shields, the West Windsor resident made famous by allegedly false stories about searching with his dog for victims of the World Trade Center collapse, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal government of Sept. 11 relief funds. Shields' attorney, Jonathan Marks, confirmed that Shields pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, theft of government funds, and mail fraud. The guilty plea, entered at a federal court in New York, was not attached to any deal regarding sentencing, Marks said. Combined, the offenses carry a penalty of up to 35 years in prison. The federal indictment alleged that Shields falsely told the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross that he lived near the World Trade Center before the Sept. 11 attacks and as a result received $38,906 in rental assistance funds from FEMA and $10,553 from the Red Cross. Shields admitted in court Thursday to misusing those funds, Marks said. Shields "said that he knew that the money he was getting from FEMA was supposed to be used only for back rent, but he used some of it to pay for a new apartment, and he knew that that was wrong," Marks said. Shields has been featured by several media outlets, including The Times, after claiming to have helped emergency workers find victims in the aftermath of Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Critics have accused Shields for misrepresenting himself as a trained search-and-rescue expert and exaggerating his exploits. Shields' website states that a now-dead golden retriever named Bear helped Shields discover the "most victims" at the World Trade Center site.

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UPDATE: September 20, 2006

I have received much positive feedback from my brave attempt to set the record straight on a major injustice. It has been eye-opening to learn new information about Bear's real beginnings, such as the following:

When Bear was first making news as a rescue dog, my wife and I were did not believe that it could be true. We had known Scott, Bear and Honey for so long. We had never seen any indication that Bear was a SAR dog. He was quite fat, and fairly old. But you see a 9/11 'hero' and you don't want to question it. Who knows . . . maybe Bear and Scott really were a rescue team?  Who was I to doubt the story. Hell, he had a book, was in parades, got all kinds of awards. There was even talk of a bronze Bear statue over at the dog park where we hung out. But the facts never added up for me. I only had one piece of the puzzle. This forum allows for all of those puzzle pieces to come together for a clear picture of what has been going on for the last five years.

This photo shows an almost 12-year-old Bear during his time on the pile. It should be noted that dogs of this age would never be allowed into an urban disaster site, given the inherent danger of the situation. Urban Search & Rescue dogs must have specialized agility training and continually train to remain in working shape. They are typically retired as they approach 8 to 9 years of age.

I was particularly moved by a blog comment from "Lt. Dan" left in response to this 'Lying all Along' tale. Lt. Dan has done what is always such a difficult task for me. He has summed up this travesty within three short sentences. This was his entire response:

I am the NYPD K9 Lt (now retired) who asked Scott to leave on the second day. Actually, I did not ask him to leave. But after questioning Scott I realized the dog had no SAR training. The dog was also obviously very old and in poor health so I told Scott I did not want to see him on the pile with the dog. I could not risk rescue workers digging areas based on false indications. During the first few days of the disaster it was very hard to control entry into the site, so I guess Scott got in for a couple of days. The rest is history for those of us who know of Mr. Shields.

I commend you for the courage to write this article. There were so many civilian volunteers with or without dogs who courageously helped us when we needed it. They returned to their homes and lives seeking or receiving no accolades for their service. They are my heroes.

Many people have asked whether Scott is still deceiving the public and they are wondering why he has been allowed to defraud the government. Scott Shields' lies and deception, evidenced from the WTC to Katrina, sadly do continue. He constantly travels the trade show circuit selling his wares of T-Shirts & books, always putting out his huge fireman's boot to solicit cash as well. He also continues to seek out monies from bake sales and such put on by various school groups as he solicits within the public school system as well.

Unfortunately, I am not the person equipped to right any of the wrongs in this situation. Your concern needs to be directed to the various newspapers who have put out erroneous, non fact-checked stories about Scott, and there are several. There are thousands of links when one does a Google search for Scott and Bear. While the New York Post has been the first paper to put out a factually correct article about the man, their article is short and limited in scope. Obviously, the story needs to be picked up by larger papers such as the New York Times, for example. Otherwise, it will be yesterday's news and many folks will continue to be taken in by Scott's smooth talking.

Additionally, law enforcement agencies at the state and federal levels, need to know that the public is truly concerned about this case. While they are investigating Scott, they are also investigating many other cases that are certainly more egregious. Amazingly, the founder of the Scott Shields Fraud Forum has managed to contact everyone of the following agencies:  NYPD, FDNY, NY's Attorney General's Office Charities Bureau, US Coast Guard, Mercer County NJ Prosecutors office, Ocean County NJ Prosecutors office, and the Department of Homeland Security. But, there has not been much support from the public for more aggressive investigations. I guess if we want to see the wheels of justice turn quicker, we need to contact some papers and agencies as well.

I have received many emails from folks who have interacted with Scott and who have seen his irresponsible actions with regard to trying to pass off his newest dog (Theodore) as a trained SAR dog. Tragically, his poor understanding of basic dog behavior has resulted in this dog biting a woman at a Pet Expo event and his attacking and biting other dogs (both working and non-working). Here is just one of these chilling communications:

I've personally met and talked with Scott and his dog, Theodore, on a few occasions. Unfortunately, during those times, I've witnessed Theo "attach" himself to Scott's leg through an entire demo (Scott couldn't get him to do anything but hump his leg, even as he exited the demo area), listened to a story from Scott during a one-on-one conversation about how Theo had gotten in a fight with another dog and was now required muzzled during outings (after I asked why he was muzzled), and then, shortly after, at another event, watched him climb off the exit ramp of the dock jumping pool (a group I help run was hosting the dock jumping competition and Scott wanted to try getting Theo to go in off the ramp, I allowed him to do so, but Theo had no interest and bolted back out). Upon exiting, Theo got away from Scott and ran the entire length of the pool plus 10-15 ft. (a total of 50-55 ft, as the pool is 40 ft long), and attacked a dog standing there, on leash with its owner, completely unprovoked. Theo charged this dog and went after him, the dog did nothing whatsoever in response, and the owner pulled him away and kicked at Theo to try to get him to stop attacking. Scott rushed over and literally jumped on top of Theo, pinning him to the ground and remaining in that position for about ten minutes after. This from a dog that Scott insisted in our conversation at the previous event had not been the one to start or continue a fight and now had to be muzzled. *Sigh.*

And, here is Scott at his best. After taking all the proceeds from my raffle, I find out he took even more.

Rochelle, I don't know if you recall my story. My three dogs (one a golden) died in our house fire July 2001. I won your raffle (February 2002, I think) that was to raise funds for Scott. I talked to Scott 2 or 3 times after we gave him a computer. He invited my family to come visit and STAY with him in New York. I had an uneasy feeling talking to him on the phone, why would he invite strangers from Texas to stay with him?! I'm sorry now that we gave him a computer, but I am glad I won all those wonderful things in the raffle!! ─ Alice
 

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UPDATE: February 10, 2007

Sadly, it seems that there has been no progress with respect to the investigation referenced in the above New York Post article:

A celebrated Ground Zero volunteer who claims that his dog "made the only live finds" at the site is being investigated over $16,000 FEMA gave him to live in a Battery Park City high-rise, The Post has learned.

In fact, as you can see in the article below, Scott Shields continues to be carrying on in his same legend in his own mind ways.
 

I immediately penned the following letter directly to Mr. Adler, also sending it through the paper's online Letter to the Editor link:

Dear Mr. Adler,
It was quite distressing to see your article today. As a previous teacher and now school psychologist, I find it unconscionable that this man is invited to speak to private children's groups such as the Boy Scouts or within the public school setting (where he has the tenacity to hang a fireman's boot to beg elementary school aged children for cash donations).

 

Please go to http://landofpuregold.com/truthiness.htm to read my article about this man and his work. Then, you may understand my reactions. Sadly, it is articles such as these that he uses to solicit more speaking engagements.

 

Take note of this particular passage from my article that details my horror at seeing a clip of Scott speaking to some Boy Scouts some years back:

And, although due to legal issues I am unable to share some of the actual raw footage of Scott's repeated telling of such falsehoods, please imagine this picture. During those many months that Scott was seeking publicity so that he could detail the amazing work of his Bear, he came to speak to many groups, including that of our most impressionable youth. Think about the layers of deception in the following statement that he matter-of-factly made (on film) to a group of boy scouts: "Bear was the first Search and Rescue Dog inside the World Trade Center. He found the most live people." Now, let me count the many lies, that in less than 20 words, Scott managed to tell.

1. There is no factual information to support that Bear was the first dog inside the World Trade Center.
2. Bear is not a formal Search and Rescue Dog.
3. Bear was on the pile for 2 days. Formal canine teams were on the premises far longer and would be
     expected to make many finds, albeit not of live persons.
4. There were no live finds by a dog.
5. As there were no live finds by a dog, how was it possible that Bear went beyond that and found "the
     most live people"?

I also received a copy of an additional, and far more incendiary, letter sent to Mr. Adler by a Div-01 FDNY firefighter:

I suggest you use Philip Recchia's recent New York Post article as a starting point for researching who Mr. Shields really is. It can be found here. You can also familiarize yourself with Nancy West's comments here on Amazon.com. Nancy West is Mr. Shields coauthor. You can also view the web page at http://scottshieldsfraud.co.uk if you are still on the fence. Thank you for your time and prompt attention.

I received a copy of another letter sent to Mr. Adler by Lt. Dan, a retired NYPD K9 unit Lieutenant:

Dear Mr. Adler, 

I am the retired NYPD K9 unit Lieutenant who was at the World Trade Center from the collapse of the second tower and remained for 9 months until the job was done. A copy of your article was forwarded to me. I wish you reporters would get your facts straight or at least do some investigative research. Now before going into many details, I would just like to ask you this. If Scott responded from Mass, and all the bridges were closed, how was he there first?? I leave you with that discrepancy, and then would ask you to find the K9 teams he led at the WTC.

 

Just run a Google search on Lt Dan Donadio. 

Thanks, Dan Donadio

Well, I did just that after receiving this letter. I Googled Dan and here are some snippets from a few of the first articles listed:
 

Lt. Dan Donadio was down at Ground Zero, day and night, for 9 long months. Of course, Scott was down at Ground Zero for a little over a day, but amazing how he has spun that into an epic. I have learned that the true heroes out there are not easily found. They do not do this job for the fanfare. They do not have media agents working on getting them mentioned in endless news articles. They are not obsessed with gaining notoriety. In fact, they'd rather not be in the spotlight. Rather, they struggle and train and work hard because they can, because they know they can help a fellow human being. These folks are a gifted bunch, and we do depend on their spirit of giving . . . for that time when it may be our lives hanging in the balance.

Rick Slatten, of Duluth, wrote a quite telling post to his search and rescue eGroup about this issue. I'm providing it here as I believe it may help others more readily discern the fiction from the non-fiction with respect to the world of search and rescue. Interestingly, you can check off every point except for #6, for Scott Shields. For #8, I'd add in the dressing up of the dog as well, as Scott has taken that to a new level.
 

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UPDATE: February 11, 2007

This is a copy of another letter that was sent to the scout director and reporter of the article above:

As a rescue person that worked the trade towers and New Orleans, I am deeply saddened that Scott Shields was able to spread his embellishment and perhaps lies to your troop members. Young people do need to have role models, HOWEVER, I wish you had done some research on Mr. Shields first and had a REAL HERO FROM PA OR FROM FDNY come down. Scott maybe rappelled as a boy scout, however, I find it impossible that he did so at Ground Zero as he didn’t exactly have the fitness to rappel, especially if he should wish to ascend. And, he spent a good deal of the time Wednesday at forward triage complaining about a painful leg and just walking around. And, from what I understand, he was escorted from the scene. Scott isn't a HAS been, he is a NEVER BEEN. This I know from firsthand experience as I know him from Ground Zero as well as his procrastinating in deciding whether to go to new Orleans or not. For the sake of the young minds out there, please look to local heroes─as Pennsylvania has plenty─instead of someone who is always blowing his OWN HORN.
Sincerely Thomas Fletcher.

P.S.: Scott's position with NY Parks as a SAR director was nothing more than honorary as he's a good speaker and a good publicist, but knows nothing about actually performing in a disaster. It takes more than a few classes to actually be an expert.

 

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UPDATE: July 15, 2007

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UPDATE: July 19, 2007

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UPDATE: July 20, 2007

A West Windsor man charged with 9/11 aid fraud: Self-styled hero is accused of stealing from FEMA By Katie Wagner, Princeton Packet Staff Writer, July 20, 2007   Scott Shields with his dog, Theodore, in Princeton in 2005. Staff photo by Mark Czajkowski Scott Shields, a resident of West Windsor and self-proclaimed 9/11 hero, was indicted in New York this week for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars in Sept. 11 federal relief money.     The same charges have been brought against Patricia Shields, Mr. Shields' sister.     According to the indictment, between November 2000 and early 2002, Mr. Shields and his sister resided at 9 Nedley Lane in Greenwich, Conn. Between those dates, Mr. Shields allegedly told the FEMA National Service Processing Center and the American Red Cross that he been living at two different addresses in New York City that had been damaged during the 9/11 attack and that he needed financial assistance.     The indictment alleges that Mr. Shields received $32,995.08 in "mortgage and rental assistance" from FEMA and $10,533.08 from American Red Cross for "two months rent and reimbursement of storage fees during displacement" as a result of lying about his residency, Social Security number, jobs and job salaries to FEMA and the American Red Cross.     Mr. Shields is president of a search and rescue foundation with Princeton roots called the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation. The foundation, which formed in 2002, was named after Mr. Shields' deceased golden retriever Bear, who is credited with finding many 9/11 victims, said Mr. Shields, during a 2005 interview published in The Packet.     Mr. Shields even wrote a book about Bear and his alleged search-and-rescue experiences at Ground Zero. The book is called "Bear: Heart of a Hero" and was published by Hero Dog Publications in 2003. Since the book's release, however, its co-author, Nancy West, has denied much of the information contained in the book. In a letter to the editor, published Sept. 9, 2005 in The Packet, Ms. West stated that Mr. Shields and Bear did not have official or professional search and rescue training and that Bear did not make any live finds or even search for victims at the site of the 9/11 attack.     Pictures of Mr. Shields, including ones of him allegedly doing search and rescues with the Army in parts of Louisiana flooded by Hurricane Katrina, and descriptions of Mr. Shield's heroic acts in Louisiana are posted on the foundation's Web site: www.bearsearchandrescue.org.     Mr. Shields could not be reached for comment. However, his attorney, Jonathan Marks, was quoted in a published report on Thursday as saying, "Scott asserts his innocence and we fully expect we will go to trial and hope we will be vindicated."     The report further quoted Marks as saying that while Shields received aid money from FEMA, "he did not make any false representations."     West Windsor police Detective Kemp said he has seen Mr. Shields and his "makeshift canine vehicle" on several occasions in West Windsor. He added, the vehicle has flashing lights and markings that make it appear to be imitating a police canine unit vehicle. ― Note: Emphasis mine ©PACKETONLINE News Classifieds Entertainment Business - Princeton and Central New Jersey 2007