Louisiana man arrested for competition fraud

Louisiana is a place made for sport fishing. The northern half of the state, from Ruston to Monroe and south to Alexandria, is famous for its wildlife refuges. This same part of the state is also known for its numerous lakes for big bass fishing. Closer to the coast, we have our own big fish fishing grounds. Some are onshore, some are offshore.

Zip Recruiter estimates that a person who wants to pursue bass fishing as a career could make an average of just over $50,000 a year. Yes, that’s how much money you can make just by fishing every day. Of course, you’ll need to invest in a boat, bait, lines, rods, reels, and so on. Fishing as a hobby can be very inexpensive, but it can also cost as much as a second house.

Of course, today’s fisherman isn’t so interested in landing a big fish to feed the family. Today, fishing is mostly for sport and trophies. That’s why fishing tournaments are so popular throughout Louisiana. Almost any weekend you can make or meet some new friends and fish for “cash and prizes.” Sometimes those cash and prizes are minimal, but other times they can bring in thousands of dollars.

For example, at the recent Big Bass Splash held at Toledo Bend in Louisiana, the top prize was worth $100,000. It included cash, a new boat, motor, and every accessory you could imagine. The second prize in that tournament was $15,000 in cash. So you can see the motivation to win is there.

Where there is a profit motive, there may also be a fraud motive, and agents from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries were called to the Big Bass Splash in Many, Louisiana to investigate a fish that was flipped by one of the contestants.

Tournament officials suspected that a fish submitted by Aaron Moreau of Pollock, Louisiana, was not legitimate, so they contacted LDWF agents, who discovered that the fish was loaded with 2.59-pound lead weights. The fish had been submitted during the weigh-in on May 17.

When LDWF agents attempted to confront him about the charges against him, they learned that Moreau had fled the scene. A warrant was later issued for his arrest and Moreau turned himself in on May 23. If convicted, Moreau faces a $3,000 fine and one year in prison.