| August Kreis | |
|---|---|
| Born | August Byron Kreis III[1] November 2, 1954 |
| Occupation | Director of Aryan Nations |
| Website | |
| http://www.aryan-nations.org | |
August Kreis III (born November 2, 1954) is a neo-Nazi leader. Kreis has been a member of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), Posse Comitatus and Aryan Nations.
Before joining radical groups, Kreis dropped out of a Newark, New Jersey high school.[2] It was during his high school days that he became interested and active in the white supremacy movement. He served in the U.S Navy for nine months aboard a vessel off the coast of Vietnam, but was discharged early "based on a determination that he was not suited for military service."[1] He then spent 13 years as a member of the KKK eventually becoming a leader and subsequently joined the Posse Comitatus in the late 1980s.
In 1994 and 1995 Kreis and his two daughters appeared on The Jerry Springer Show and on one episode show host Jerry Springer kicked Kreis off his show for making threats, and calling his mother a lampshade.[3][4]
In 1999 Kreis joined the Aryan Nations.[5] After the death of Aryan Nations leader Richard Girnt Butler, in a power struggle, Kreis assumed leadership positions in the Aryan Nations, which caused a split in the organization.[2]
Kreis is known locally for harassing neighbors and townspeople with whom he disagrees.[2] Police have lodged numerous charges, but he has yet to be convicted of any.[2] After a divorce from his first wife, he was barred from contacting her.[2]
In 2005 he received media attention by seeking an Aryan Nations-al Qaeda alliance.[6] CNN reported that "So while August Kreis may be calling, there is no sign that al Qaeda is listening."[6] His statements raised federal concerns about violations of law which caused the government to look closely at his activities and finances.[7] The federal government concluded he had no link with any terrorist organization.[7] The government, however, in the process discovered “substantial unreported funds” going into his bank accounts with more than $33,000 in unreported income in 2005.[7]
Even though he only spent a short time in the Navy because he served during wartime Kreis received an “improved pension” based on financial need, which is adjusted based on income.[7] In 2009, he moved from Potter County, Pennsylvania to Lexington, South Carolina, near Union City, Tennessee.[8]
In June 2011, Kreis was arrested in Obion County, Tennessee for "felony charges for filing fraudulent statements in an effort to obtain veterans benefits."[3] According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, "The indictment alleges that Kreis provided false information about whether he had any income in reports that he submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs."[9] Previously he had refused to surrender when the charges were filed.[3] He was held in a federal detention center.[3]
In August 2011, he pled guilty to lying to Veterans Administration officials to get pension money he was not entitled to and faces a possible five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.[7] In December 2011, he was sentenced to six months in jail[10] and will serve six months of home arrest with serving two years of probation as well as pay back the nearly $193,000 of improperly received benefits.[11]