Ron Miller

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Person.png Ron Miller KeywikiRdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(businessman, Clinton body count)
No image available (photo).jpg
BornJune 11, 1939
DiedOctober 12, 1997 (Age 58)
Oklahoma
Cause of death
anthrax?
"flu"
NationalityUS
Victim ofpremature death
Interests • Eugene Lum
• Nora Lum
• Thomas McLarty
Oklahoma businessman who died under suspicious circumstances, possibly with anthrax, after getting tangled with the Clinton family.

Ronald G. Miller was an American businessman who died under suspicious circumstances. [1][2][3]

Miller was co-owner of Creek Systems/Gage Corp., an Oklahoma natural gas company that alleged discrimination by corrupt utility regulators. In the middle of October 1997, he was scheduled to testify before a congressional committee, where he was prepared to implicate President Clinton's Chief of Staff Mack McLarty in Oklahoma-related scandals. First Lady Hillary Clinton was exposed to, at a minimum, severe embarrassment if Miller testified.[4][5][6] Miller's sudden death on October 12, 1997, prevented his testimony against McLarty.

Career

The allegations include charges of a $35 to $65 million overcharge involving a gas supply contract with Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) and corruption at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the natural gas business in the state. The charges, covered in detail by the The Oklahoman Constitution, included a struggle over payments between Miller and a web of Clinton associates, revolving around Thomas McLarty, a childhood friend of Bill Clinton; and First Lady Hillary Clinton. Another childhood friend of Clinton's and McLarty's, Vince Foster, handled some of the legal business at the Rose Law firm while a partner with Hillary, and partner Webster Hubbell was charged by congressional investigators of shutting down further investigations in his role as the number three man at the Justice Department.[5]

Others involved were Nora and Eugene Lum, Democratic Party fund-raisers with close ties to Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, and with ties to John Huang. The Lums and Huang were also associated with Indonesian businessman James Riady of the Lippo Group, who were involved in Riadygate. Nora Lum visited the White House at least 18 times during Clinton's first term[5]

Cooperating with the FBI

After the sale of his company, Ron Miller aided news reporters and the FBI in the investigation of the Lums. Miller made 165 tape recordings of his conversations with the Lums and their associates. Miller turned over the tapes to the FBI in early August of 1997, and was interviewed by congressional committee staff a few days later. Preparing to testify before Congress, Miller told a business associate that his testimony would insure that Al Gore would never become president. [5]

Threats

Miller started getting threatening phone calls. He was followed, his car was tampered with, and once he was attempted run off the road. Prowlers were reported at Miller's house. The most bizarre effort at intimidation came from a helicopter hovering outside his office. Miller told a TV reporter that he was told by friends in the intelligence community that the helicopter was leased to the government for use in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Miller told one reporter that the helicopter was so close to his window, that he could have "reached out and touched it." Miller went to retrieve a handgun and when he returned the helicopter flew away. Several individuals, including the manager at the hotel across the street, saw the helicopter hovering outside Miller's office window. [5]

Death

The 58-year-old Miller became ill Thursday, October 2. His condition worsened until he entered hospital on October 4, suffering from "flu-like" symptoms. Doctors diagnosed pneumonia and he was admitted to the hospital. Miller was treated with antibiotic drugs and his condition improved for a few days, but then his condition only worsened and he died on Sunday, October 12.

In 1991, Arkansas state trooper Russell Welch, who was investigating the MENA drug ring , was infected by anthrax through the mail, but survived. The medical literature reports that, in many cases of inhalational anthrax, the patient often experiences a period of recovery, followed by rapid relapse, and death in two to three days.[4]

When referred to the Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner's office, Miller's death was classified as a death with "possible threat to public health." and "under suspicious circumstances." Agents of the FBI were in contact with the M.E.'s office during his autopsy. The initial M.E. report was "pending investigation." This was eventually changed to "natural," as opposed to the other possibilities of homicide, suicide, or unknown. That determination was challenged by an investigator, Dr. Stephen Dresch of Michigan, who was working a case involving the Ron Brown plane crash. After reading Dresch's reasoning, Dr. Fred Jordan, Oklahoma's long-time chief medical examiner, changed the cause of death to "undetermined."


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