Ron Wilson (politician)

Ron Wilson is an Anderson County, South Carolina politician. He was on the Anderson County Council and on the South Carolina Board of Education, a former national commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, serving from 2002 to 2004, when he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the South Carolina Senate representing Anderson County, South Carolina. In 2007 Wilson was elected as the Republican representative for Anderson County Council District 6. A native of Western Tennessee, Wilson is a proponent of the right to secession (although he does not advocate modern secession), and wants "Confederate Southern American" designated as a demographic minority group, citing them as a "separate and distinct people".

Wilson has filed with the Senate Ethics Committee, stating his amount of funds raised at $75,000, including notable contributor Maurice Bessinger.

Wilson formerly hosted a thirty-minute program titled The Hour of Courage on shortwave radio. Before being elected, Wilson served on the South Carolina Board of Education.

Wilson is currently being investigated as the leader of a Ponzi scheme related to his business Atlantic Bullion & Coin. After fraud allegations were made public in March, Wilson resigned from the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Wilson was arrested in April of 2012 and charged with mail fraud. He was freed after his wife, Cassie Wilson, posted bail of $1 million dollars.

The criminal complaint states that Wilson ran a scheme to defraud investors beginning around January 2001 until March 2012.

Official estimates of investor loss are now estimated to be around 90 million dollars.

Wilson turned himself in to U.S. marshals before a hearing in front of U.S. Magistrate Jacquelyn D. Austin in a Greenville, SC Federal court room.

Nancy Wicker, criminal chief at the South Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office, said Wilson’s wife used three properties in her name to secure his release.