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The Setup: FBI Built Kidnapping Case Against Leo Grillo Based on Gold Swindler James D. Clark

Leo Grillo, 77, founded the world's largest no-kill animal sanctuary. He has no criminal record. He sits in federal detention on the word of James Clark — a gold dealer who stole $6 million from retirees and needed a story to save…

May 3, 2026

General·Grillo

Clark for Grillo: The Trade the FBI Made and the Question It Never Asked

by Frank Parlato

April 13, 2026

James D. Clark delivered gold. He stole some too. He took their money. He told them the gold was coming. It did not come for 118 people. He stole $6,333,973.74. A thief. That made him a good candidate for the FBI. A…

Grillo

FBI Informant James D. Clark PT 3: The Gold Wasn’t There

by Frank Parlato

April 4, 2026

This is part three of FBI Informant, the story of James D. Clark, the man to whom the FBI gave a pass his crimes, so he could entrap Leo Grillo. See part 1 James D. Clark FBI Informant: Pt 1: The Trade…

Grillo

FBI Informant PT 2: The Clark Family Buz

by Frank Parlato

April 3, 2026

James D. Clark did not invent the gold dealer fraud scheme. He inherited it — from a father who went to prison for securities fraud and a business partner who owed $7.5 million in restitution to 4,200 victims and paid $4,030. When…

Featured·Grillo·Investigations

James D. Clark FBI Informant: Pt 1: The Trade

by Frank Parlato

April 2, 2026

THE INFORMANT SERIES How James D. Clark Cheated Retirees, Dodged a Federal Fraud Investigation, and Bought His Freedom With Leo Grillo PART ONE: THE TRADE It is not often that we get inside the FBI to see how its informants work. Happily,…