Pro fisherman, popular YouTuber Ben Milliken charged with fishing tournament fraud

[Logan S]

Sounds like he forgot to renew his license and a string of technicalities escalated it.  My personal guess with almost zero information is that at least some of those escalations could have probably been handled in a less dramatic way.  

 

It's very easy to overlook license renewal especially if you have licenses for multiple states.  Heck, here in MD I have to buy TWO separate licenses as a resident just to fish for bass every year...Add in VA, DC, PA, NC, and sometimes DE and I need a personal assistant just keep track....That's all for a 4 hr driving radius.  

 

The fact that he renewed after the fact doesn't mean he was trying hide anything, it just means that he was continuing to fish after realizing "oh crap I need to renew," just like any other normal angler would do.  It's not like he was never planning to fish again and bought the license for the sole purpose of tricking the SL program.  

 

Don't know the guy, not defending, just being logical.  

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

14 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 

There was a guy who won a NPFL event a couple years back, it was discovered he didn't have a valid license at the time of winning and had to forfeit the money and win.     At no time was the moniker of cheater ever leveled at this man, and rightfully so.    

 

 

This one

https://gearjunkie.com/outdoor/hunt-fish/bass-fisherman-disqualified-no-license

[Pat Brown]

Call me an old fashioned cynic - but this is just in line with the typical de evolution of the culture of pro bass fishing into something resembling pro wrestling.

 

I don't have any dog in the fight - pro wrestling is fine - but it's entertainment - not sports and the pro bass leagues are cashing in on drama and controversy.

 

Seems like during the off season when people are in a tree stand or shopping for Christmas presents - overblowing something minor could indeed just be manufacturing clicks and attention.

 

I mean - it's working - we are talking about it!

 

😂😂😂😂

[A-Jay]

32 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Call me an old fashioned cynic - but this is just in line with the typical de evolution of the culture of pro bass fishing into something resembling pro wrestling.

 

I don't have any dog in the fight - pro wrestling is fine - but it's entertainment - not sports and the pro bass leagues are cashing in on drama and controversy.

 

Seems like during the off season when people are in a tree stand or shopping for Christmas presents - overblowing something minor could indeed just be manufacturing clicks and attention.

 

I mean - it's working - we are talking about it!

 

😂😂😂😂

So NASCAR then ?

A-Jay

[J Francho]

 

[gim]

Cheating is probably the wrong descriptive word if the entire story is accurate.

 

Poaching would be a better term.  You can't fish without a valid license.  Or hunt.  That's against state law.  Being that he's not a repeat offender (at least I don't think he is), he should pay a fine and that should be the end of it.  Unless of course he has another offense.

 

BTW what the heck is he doing in that photo in his boat?  The splits?  Makes my groin hurt just seeing it.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

The thing that complicates this situation, and enhances the punishment is the fact he entered a fish into the Sharelunker program which has a prize pool attached to it.   Somehow the news has conflated that with cheating in an actual traditional fishing derby.

 

If he simply caught a 14lb fish without a license, it would be nothing more than a misdemeanor...fishing without a license charge.....but because he entered that fish in a program that has a monetary value attached to it, it's now considered fraud.  It doesn't say whether or not the charge is a felony, but usually $10k is enough to elevate a charge to a felony. 

 

 

[J Francho]

I wonder why it took half a year for charges to be pressed. 

[gim]

1 minute ago, J Francho said:

I wonder why it took half a year for charges to be pressed. 

 

Evidence has to gathered, reviewed, and submitted.  Nothing moves fast and to me this does not rise to the elevation of being "violent" or "serious" enough to be a high priority.

 

Being that it's a state charge, 6 months is quite long.  Not uncommon for a federal charge though.

[Cuivre]

I think they waited until the awards program before they realized he wasn't going to ever come clean about him catching it while he was without a license.  I'm sure he had to sign the tournament/contest/drawing form stating he caught the fish legally.  Maybe he thought that citation was expunged after he paid the fine at the time of him submitting the fish to the SAL personnel.  The contest is a distinctly different deal  with higher amounts of money involved.  Some on another board claimed that "double jeopardy" applied, but these were two totally different violations.  I heard Ben got busted before in NE for not paying to fish a pay lake-he paid a fine for himself and his posse.

 

We had a similar problem with a club in my state.  A good angler took some money in our club events and qualified for the National tournament.  The club pres. was alerted that he did not/could not buy a fishing license-he used back channel methods to find that he indeed did NOT have a fishing license.  By this time he was pre-fishing for the National Champ tournament and the National director told him he had to literally show his license.  He had lied repeatedly to the club officers and delayed and defected, but this time he was busted and got sent home.  I was told he didn't pay child support or some such deal, and that caused him to not be allowed to buy a fishing license.  

[F14A-B]

19 hours ago, Catt said:

Knowly & willing falsifying documents for monetary gain.

 

Yeah that ain't cheating

Exactly. I’ve heard his license was expired for 5 months, never mind the fraud part. Too bad his brain isn’t as big as his head. 

[Cuivre]

If his license was not in effect during an Elites BASS event during that window, he might catch another wave of grief from the mothership BASS.   Having to parse out the difference between being a "cheater", a "poacher" or a "fraudster" isn't a very enviable position to be in. LOL!

[MichaelN]

19 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Ben wasn't fishing a tournament

 

Ah. Rereading that, I see he said he was recreational fishing. Thanks Catt.

[Cuivre]

Not that this detail matters, but he entered the tournament when he signed the dotted line for the prize packs/shopping spree he got a chance at by submitting his big fish.  Tournaments come in all shapes and sizes, and if entries are received and prizes handed out, it is legally a tournament.  It even says it on his booking sheet and the blurb released by the law rep.  Lots of people seem to think this makes a difference-poacher, cheater, fraudster?  Pick one and try to brag about it like Ben is doing by using his mug shot as his IG avatar.  THAT will surely ingratiate himself to those prosecuting him!  (NOT!).  His lack of seriousness, and not recognizing he needs to show remorse and humility during this time will not serve him well.  He is doubling down on behavior/character that causes many people to dislike him.

[Aaron_H]

On 12/14/2024 at 11:23 AM, A-Jay said:

So NASCAR then ?

A-Jay

 

Welcome to BASSCAR

[Glenn]

On 12/14/2024 at 7:50 AM, Pat Brown said:

the pro bass leagues are cashing in on drama and controversy.

There's a Facebook bass page that deliberately posts controversial and provocative things just to get a rise out of people....and it works.  Dumb people take the clickbait every time and comment without fail.  

 

[Mbirdsley]

Cheating is not the right phrase.  However, with the type of prizes and winnings on the line it’s definitely fraud and at the very least it is poaching. 

 

There is definitely a pattern developing with him and it is never his fault. It is always some one else’s fault or thing.

 

 It must be ego because, anytime a high profile fisherman or hunter gets caught doing somthing unethical or illegal.  They can never say “i knew better but, did it any way.  it’s my fault i’m sorry”. Him saying that would go farther than trying to explain the situation and talk his way out of it. 

[J Francho]

He can't say anything like that until the legal process is completed. His best bet is no comment, which is what every other criminal would say, lol. 

[Catt]

28 minutes ago, J Francho said:

He can't say anything like that until the legal process is completed. His best bet is no comment, which is what every other criminal would say, lol. 

 

Voice of experience? 🤣

[J Francho]

I'll take the 5th!

[Koz]

The guy fishes for a living. How could he NOT be current with his license?

 

I have fishing licenses in multiple states and always keep up with my notifications and renewals.

[gim]

20 minutes ago, Koz said:

The guy fishes for a living. How could he NOT be current with his license?

 

I have fishing licenses in multiple states and always keep up with my notifications and renewals.

 

Hard to imagine but it probably happens more than you think.

 

Part of the fine or citation should be a mandatory haircut. 

[Logan S]

Jeez man....Poacher, Cheater, Fraud..... Dude forgot to renew his license, it happens.  

 

He got popped when it was submitted, he paid the fine, and his submission wasn't entered.  But the Share Lunker program still got the benefit of having the fish, which is a net long term gain for all TX anglers given what the program does.  So who or what is being harmed in this situation? 

 

Yes, I agree everyone should play by the rules...Which is why he was fined for not having a current license and his submission didn't count.  To bring it back up almost a year later really seems like someone just has a personal axe to grind.  

 

Back in the day Aaron Martens won $200k in an FLW tournament....Turns out he didn't have a license, must have forgot to buy it when he got in town or something.  They fined him for no license but didn't make him forfeit the win or money.  Which one of y'all is gonna call him a poacher, cheater, or fraud?  I certainly won't.

[Catt]

54 minutes ago, Logan S said:

So who or what is being harmed in this situation? 

 

When he submitted the ShareLunker Bass is when realized his license was expired. Part of the form for submitting the bass is a valid license #, didn't have one & submitted it anyway. 

 

Personally I find the whole thing hilarious 😂 

[Glenn]

24 minutes ago, Catt said:

Part of the form for submitting the bass is a valid license #, didn't have one & submitted it anyway. 

^^ This ^^

 

It's one thing to forget to renew something, it's another level to willingly submit false information to get a $10K reward.

 

It speaks to his character.  It makes you wonder what else he's done.