Allison Baver

Last updated

Allison Baver
Allison Baver.jpg
Baver by Fadil Barisha for Wilhelmina Models New York
Personal information
BornAugust 11, 1980 (1980-08-11) (age 44)
Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Weight126 lb (57 kg)
Website www.allisonbaver.com
Sport
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States of America
SportShort track speed skating
Event(s)Women's 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m relay
Retired2014
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 44.535 (2008) [1]

1000 m: 1:31.151 (2008)

1500 m: 2:20.015 (2008)
Medal record
Women's short track speed skating
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Vancouver 3000 m relay

Allison Baver (born August 11, 1980) is an American retired short track speed skater. A member of the U.S. short track speed skating squad beginning in 2002, Baver earned multiple medals in ISU World Cup competition. [2] Baver competed in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and 3000m relay events and trained with the US permanent winter sports Olympic team in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 2005–2006 season, she was ranked third overall in world rankings. In 2010, she won a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Contents

In December 2021, Baver was indicted for allegedly defrauding the U.S. government during COVID-19 with fraudulent business claims in order to receive $10 million. According to the indictment, she claimed that her company, which she formed in 2019, had as many as 430 employees and a monthly payroll of over $4 million. [3] On June 29, 2023, a federal jury convicted Baver of two counts of making false statements designed to influence a bank, one count of money laundering, and one count of contempt. She faces up to 40 years in prison. [4] In October 2024, Baver's sentencing was delayed after her defense counsel withdrew. The judge in her case raised the possibility that Baver could file an appeal on the grounds of ineffective counsel. [5]

Early life and education

Baver was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, on August 11, 1980. At age eleven, Baver competed in the National Roller Skating Championships in Philadelphia. At Wilson High School, she was a soccer player and cheerleader. She did not take up short track speed skating until her junior year of high school. [2] In 2003, Baver graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and management. [6] Baver earned an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology. [7]

Athletic career

Baver competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. At the 2006 Winter Olympics, in Turin, Italy, Baver finished seventh in the Women's 500 m competition, following a third-place finish in Semifinal A and a collision with the Czech Republic's Kateřina Novotná in Final B, which took her out of the race for fifth place.

On February 25, 2007, Baver won her first U.S. National Championship. [8] Between 2008 and 2010, Baver was represented by Wilhelmina Sports. [9]

On February 8, 2009, Baver and teammate Katherine Reutter collided on the third lap of the 1500 m race in Sofia, Bulgaria. Baver fractured her leg in multiple places. [10]

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Baver competed in three events. In the 1500 m, Baver did not make it past the semifinals. [11] In the 1000 m, Baver was disqualified in the heats. [12] In the 3000 m relay, Baver's U.S. team finished fourth but were awarded the bronze medal after one of the teams was disqualified for an infraction. Baver competed in the relay heats and qualified for a medal. [13] [14]

Baver in 2016 was elected to a four-year term as one of seven vice presidents of the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association. [15]

Film industry

On December 1, 2020, Variety reported that Baver's production company announced an upcoming slate of movies, television shows and documentaries. In addition to executive producing and acting, Baver serves as a series creator. [16]

Baver appeared as a nurse and stand-in actress on Season 3 of Yellowstone, released in 2020, with Kevin Costner. [17]

In 2020, Baver appeared as Summer Sanders, a reporter, in the film Six Feet Apart. [18] It was filmed and took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. [19]

In 2021, Baver appeared in an uncredited role as Marsha Tanner in the film No Man of God. It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2021, and was released in the United States on August 27, 2021, by RLJE Films. It was also executive produced by Allison Baver Entertainment. [20]

Fraud conviction

On December 15, 2021, Baver was charged with fraudulently applying for $10 million in COVID relief payments and funneling some of the money to Elijah Wood's production company SpectreVision to fund the 2021 film, No Man of God , starring Wood. Prosecutors said Baver submitted eight Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in April 2020 seeking $10 million for her entertainment firm. In each request, Baver said her average monthly payroll was as much as $4.7 million, but she actually had no payroll at all, court documents show. [21] Her criminal case is filed as United States v. Baver (2:21-cr-00520). [22]

On January 18, 2022, Baver pled not guilty to nine federal charges. [23] Following two postponements, her trial began on June 26, 2023. [22] On June 29, 2023, a federal jury convicted Baver of two counts of making false statements to a bank, one count of money laundering, and one count of contempt. [24] She will remain out of custody until her sentencing. [25] Baver could spend up to 40 years in prison. [26] It is expected she will receive 78 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. [27] In October 2024, Baver's sentencing was delayed after her defense counsel withdrew. The judge in her case raised the possibility that Baver could file an appeal on the grounds of ineffective counsel. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Winter Olympics</span> Multi-sport event in Salt Lake City, Utah, US

The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002, were an international winter multi-sport event that was held from February 8 to 24, 2002, in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-track speed skating</span> Competitive skating on an ice hockey rink

Short-track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a length of 111.111 metres (364.54 ft). The rink itself is 60 metres (196.85 ft) long by 30 metres (98.43 ft) wide, which is the same size as an Olympic-sized figure skating rink and an international-sized ice hockey rink. Related sports include long-track speed skating and inline speed skating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shani Davis</span> American speed skater

Shani Earl Davis is an American former speed skater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2002 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Australia competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, winning its first two gold medals in the Winter Games. It was the nation's best performance at the Winter Games prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireen Wüst</span> Dutch speed skater

Irene Karlijn "Ireen" Wüst is a Dutch former long track speed skater. Wüst became the most successful speed skating Olympian ever by achieving at least one gold medal in each of five consecutive Winter Olympic appearances. Wüst is the second athlete to win a gold medal at five consecutive Olympics, Summer or Winter, and the first to do so in individual events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Nesbitt</span> Canadian speed skater

Christine Nesbitt is a Canadian retired long track speed skater who currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. She won the gold medal in the 1000 metres event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. She had previously won a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She is also the 2011 sprint champion, 2012 1500 metres world champion, three-time world champion for 1000 metres, and three-time world champion for team pursuit. On 4 June 2015 she announced her retirement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Olympic Oval</span> American speed skating oval

The Utah Olympic Oval is an indoor speed skating oval located 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Salt Lake City, in Kearns, Utah. The Oval was built for the 2002 Winter Olympics and it hosted the long-track speed skating events for the 2002 games, a role it is expected reprise for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Raney-Norman</span> American speed skater

Catherine Raney Norman is a four-time Olympic speed skater from Elm Grove, Wisconsin who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics, 2002 Winter Olympics, 2006 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Olympics. She serves as chair of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, which is seeking to bring the Olympics and Paralympics back to Utah in 2030 or 2034.

Jessica Gregg is a former Canadian short track speed skater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Reutter</span> American speed skater (born 1988)

Katherine Reutter-Adamek is an American short track speed skater. She is a two-time medalist in the Winter Olympics, 2011 overall world silver medalist and the 2010–2011 overall ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup champion.

Kimberly Derrick is an American short track speed skater.

Alyson Dudek is an American short track speed skater and Olympic bronze medallist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valérie Maltais</span> Canadian speed skater (born 1990)

Valérie Maltais is a Canadian short track speed skater and speed skater. She has won six world championship medals, including finishing second overall in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivanie Blondin</span> Canadian speed skater (born 1990)

Ivanie Blondin is a Canadian speed skater. She primarily skates in the long distances of 3000 m and 5000 m and the mass start event. Blondin won a silver medal in the mass start event at the 2015 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships and a gold medal in the same event at the 2020 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships. She also won the silver medal at the 2020 World Allround Speed Skating Championships. She won a gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Women's team pursuit.

Choi Min-jeong is a South Korean short track speed skater. She is a three-time Olympic Champion, a four-time World Champion, Four Continents Champion (2020), and the current world record holder for 1500m. Along with Chun Lee-kyung and Jin Sun-yu, Choi is widely regarded as one of the best female Korean short track speed skaters of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Schulting</span> Dutch short track speed skater

Suzanne Schulting is a Dutch short track speed skater who is also active as a long track speed skater. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, she won the Netherlands' first-ever gold medal in short track speed skating and became one of the youngest-ever Dutch Winter Olympic champions. She is also a two-time overall World Champion and three-time overall European Champion, and the current world record holder for 1000m.

Caroline Hallisey-Kepka is an American speed skater and three-time Olympian. She competed for the United States at the 1998, 2002, and 2006 Winter Olympics in short track speed skating.

Rhyan Elizabeth White is an American swimmer. She won a silver medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics for her contribution in the prelims of the event and placed fourth in both the 100-meter backstroke and the 200-meter backstroke. At the 2020 Olympics, White also became the first Utah-born swimmer to compete in an Olympic Games. At the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, she was the only swimmer representing the United States to win a medal. She won her first world title in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2021 World Short Course Championships.

Kristen Santos-Griswold is an American short-track speed skater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimi Goetz</span> American speed skater (born 1994)

Kimi Goetz is an American speed skater who represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

References

  1. "Biographical data for: Allison BAVER". ShorttrackOnLine.info. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Allison Baver | Speaking Fee | Booking Agent". www.allamericanspeakers.com.
  3. Scholl, Jacob (December 16, 2021). "Former Olympian who received millions in PPP loans indicted for financial crimes in Utah". KSL.com. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  4. "Allison Baver verdict: Former Olympic speedskater guilty on all counts related to $10M PPP loan". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  5. 1 2 Sollitt, Shannon (October 15, 2024). "Utah judge delays sentencing former Olympian Allison Baver as defense attorneys withdraw from case". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  6. Lee, Lauren (April 20, 2017). "2017 Power Women Conference to feature Olympic speed skater Allison Baver, CEO of Deloitte". The Daily Collegian.
  7. "Allison Baver (M.B.A. '07) | Profiles | NYIT". NYIT.edu. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  8. "2007 US Short Track Championships". Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
  9. "WILHL INT : Wilhelmina Announces P&G Sponsorship of Allison Baver, Olympic Speed Skater". www.marketscreener.com. October 5, 2009.
  10. "Baver breaks leg during race". Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  11. "Ladies' 1500 m - semifinals results". Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  12. "Ladies' 1000 m - heats results". Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  13. Stamm, Dan (February 25, 2010). "Baver's Beautiful Bronze | NBC 10 Philadelphia". Nbcphiladelphia.com. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  14. "Ladies' 3000 m relay - finals results". Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  15. "U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association elects new officers for 2017-2020 quadrennial". Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  16. Rubin, Rebecca (December 1, 2020). "Olympian Allison Baver Sets Film and TV Slate for Her New Production Company (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.com. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  17. "Yellowstone (2018-) Full Cast & Crew". IMDB.com. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  18. "Six Feet Apart Full Cast & Crew". IMDB.com. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  19. Kilkenny, Katie (July 2, 2020). "How Coronavirus Inspired a Socially Distanced Rom-Com: "It Became the Thing That Got Me Through"". HollywoodReporter. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  20. "No Man of God (2021) Full Cast & Crew". IMDB.com. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  21. "Ex-Olympian charged with falsely obtaining $10M in COVID-19 relief funds". December 20, 2021.
  22. 1 2 "United States v. Baver (2:21-cr-00520) District Court, D. Utah". Court Listener. Free Law Project. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  23. Berkeley, Geoff (January 20, 2022). "Olympic medallist pleads not guilty in COVID-19 fraud and money laundering case" . Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  24. Carlisle, Nate; Herbets, Adam (June 29, 2023). "Utah jury convicts former Olympian in pandemic bailout trial". Salt Lake City, Utah: FOX13. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  25. "United States v. Baver, 2:21-cr-00520 - CourtListener.com". CourtListener.
  26. "Olympic medalist accused of stealing millions in COVID-19 relief money". January 21, 2022.
  27. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/61622160/232/united-states-v-baver/