The National Science Institute
Abbreviation | NSI |
---|---|
Formation | 1994 |
Founder | Chris Boden |
Founded at | Grand Rapids, MI |
Formerly called | The Boehemian Brothers, GeNext! & The Geek Group |
The National Science Institute (NSI), previously known as The Geek Group, was a
The organization's president and executive director chose to close the organization on December 31, 2018, following a sealed search warrant executed by the United States Department of Homeland Security and three other federal agencies.[4] After which Christopher Boden and Leesa B Vogt (AKA: Lis Bokt, Moose) started a Michigan non-profit organization called "The Church of Tesla", an ecclesiastical society (which limits the IRS ability to conduct investigations of wrong doing), and continued providing similar information as the NSI did. [5] This new non-profit organization was using a lot of the items that were to be sold off or donated to other non-profits when the NSI was being dissolved to be in compliance with federal 501(c)3 non-profit dissolution rules. [6]
On February 24, 2021 an indictment was issued for Christopher Boden, charging him with Conspiracy to Operate an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, Conspiracy to Launder Money, 13 counts of Money Laundering, 10 counts of Structuring, and Attempted Collection of Debt by Extortionate Means. After accepting a plea agreement, Christopher Boden was sentenced to 30 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment.[7] The judgement was also made that Boden was to forfeit a sum of $75,000 to the federal government. [8]
History
The organization was started in 1996 at the
The organization moved back to Grand Rapids in December 2010[1] a 43,000-square-foot (4,000 m2) facility situated on Leonard Street NW, dubbed The Leonard Street Labs.[12] On January 2, 2014, a fire partially destroyed the organization's High Voltage Lab, and deposited soot all over the lab. A grub screw on a Tesla coil rotary spark gap was not tight enough, allowing a tungsten electrode to move out of its socket and strike one of the stationary electrodes. This resulted in a chain reaction with molten tungsten being flung from the spark gap unit, which caused a nearby capacitor array to catch fire and subsequently melt. From preliminary analysis, Project Gemini (a 200,000 watt Tesla coil demonstration) looks to be the originating cause, and completely destroyed, and Project Thumper (a high impulse generator) was damaged. The fire was so hot it melted aluminum racks. Although no one had been hurt, the building was closed to the public once again for repairs.[13][14]
On January 5, 2019, Chris Boden, the founder of the organization, was described as saying that the raid took place "because he was commercially trading in
Federal raid and aftermath
On December 21, 2018 The National Science Institute's Laboratory at 902 Leonard Street NW was raided by Homeland Security, the IRS, and several other federal agencies.[18] The raid was a result of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, operating an unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, money laundering, structuring, and attempting to collect a debt by means of extortion led by Chris Boden and Leesa Vogt.
After the raid, the founders decided that they were going to shut down operations and The National Science Institute permanently ceased operations on December 31, 2018.
On February 24, 2021, Mr. Boden was indicted on 28 federal counts including Conspiracy to Operate an Unlicensed Money Transmitting business, Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, Conspiracy to Launder Money, Money Laundering, Structuring, and Attempted Collection of Debt by Extortionate Means.[19] On October 18, 2021, Mr. Boden entered a guilty plea for 3 of the counts- Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, Money Laundering, and Structuring.[20] On February 25, 2022, Christopher Boden was sentenced to 30 months in federal custody, 3 years of supervised release, 150 hours of community service, and a $300 special assessment.[7] The judgement was also made that Boden was to forfeit a sum of $75,000 to the federal government. [21]
Leesa B Vogt (AKA Lis Bokt) was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release, a $300 special assessment and forfeiture of $62,711. [22]
Daniel Dejager was sentenced to 10 months in federal custody, 3 years of supervised release, a $300 special assessment, and was ordered to forfeit a sum of $75,000 to the federal government. [23]
There was direct communication that was submitted as evidence of the wrong doing with regard to items in the indictment. [24] There is also audio recording of Mr. Boden speaking with an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer, Mr, Boden touted that he sold clean bitcoin, and never collected personal information regarding the sale to prevent laundering money. [25]
Sponsors
The organization was
YouTube popularity
The organization ran a YouTube channel, serving as an extension of their digital education program. As of 2018, the channel had over 94,000 subscribers and 650 videos.[27] In addition to technical tool training videos, the channel regularly produced several educational video series, including equipment autopsies, machine tutorials and 'Your Dinosaurs Are Wrong'—a series describing how toy dinosaur models are usually incorrect.
References
- ^ a b "Geek Group Inc". GuideStar. 20 June 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018.
- ^ "Mission Statement – The Geek Group". thegeekgroup.org. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
- ^ Weick, Rachel (2014-05-09). "Geek Group provides access to technology". Grand Rapids Business Journal. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "GR tech group blames fed search fallout for shutdown". 24 Hour News 8. December 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
- ^ "Church of Tesla". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- ^ "Dissolving a Nonprofit Corporation". National Council of Nonprofits. 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- ^ a b "Sentencing (District Judge) – #105 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "Order on Motion for Forfeiture of Property – #108 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- ^ "Exempt Organizations". IRS. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Inc., Midwest Communications. "Does Group Owe Taxes". AM 590 WKZO. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
{{cite web}}
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has generic name (help) - ^ By (16 March 2010). "Tax-exempt Geek Group hit with huge tax bill". Hackaday. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
- ^ Radigan, Mary (17 January 2011). "Geek Group is renovating former West YMCA as new headquarters". MLive. Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "Fire At The Geek Group". Hack A Day. January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Fire damages Geek Group in Grand Rapids". WZZM13. January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Geek Group founder discusses criminal investigation". WOODTV.com. 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- ^ "R/Grandrapids - the Portion of Chris Boden's statement on the Geek Group getting raided by Feds they won't allow on the news due to FCC rules".
- ^ Deiters, Barton (January 5–6, 2019). "Geek Group founder discusses criminal investigation". WoodTV. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ^ "Tech center, once the 'Geek Group,' shuts down for good after raid". mlive. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "Indictment – #1 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "Change of Plea Hearing – #60 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "Order on Motion for Forfeiture of Property – #108 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- S2CID 226389131.
- S2CID 226389131.
- ^ "#85, Att. #1 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- ^ "#85, Att. #2 in United States v. Boden (W.D. Mich., 1:21-cr-00040) – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
- NPR.
- ^ "thegeekgroup". YouTube. Retrieved 2018-06-20.