Jeffry Hill sanitizing web reputation as plea deal grows likely in federal felony case

Jeffry Hill, who is free on bail after his Nov. 2, 2016 federal fraud charges, has been “webwashing” his reputation as a leg up on vocational rehabilitation once his plea deal with prosecutors is finalized.

 

Hill was originally scheduled to appear in San Francisco Federal District Court last Tuesday (May 9) for a status hearing. However, that was rescheduled for May 23. According to a Stipulation and Order signed by Judge Richard Seeborg, “Counsel for the parties represent that they are close to reaching an agreement on an appeal.”

 

The federal fraud arrest in question charges him with four counts each of wire & mail fraud. Federal prosecutors were seeking at least $1.5 million in restitution. The charges stem from a wine and grape fraud scheme (June 25, 2014: “TTB Carpet Bombs Hill Wine Co With Felony Allegations”).

 

Hill also served time in the Napa County Jail. This, after a Napa Superior Court judge sentenced him to a year in jail and three years probation on August 11, 2015 following his “no contest” plea to two counts of grand theft. Hill pleaded to the charges in April 2014.

 

Hill’s arrest on the federal fraud charges came nearly a year after Wine Industry Insight article questioned federal footdragging.

 

A review of Hill’s web and social media sites along with other public data, indicate that he is attempting to scrub his criminal history from web site search results in an effort to support a new business: ATP Agriculture & Irrigation Consultants (premium sidebar).

 

 

Wine Industry Insight tried to contact Hill for comment both through his attorney and directly but received no reply.

Reputation management:  aka “webwashing”

The reality that what goes on the web tends to stay on the web has given life to the process of sanitizing unfavorable online  information. The service is a growing business and offered by both public relations practitioners and specialized image polishers such as Reputation­Defender.

 

In a brief article updating court developments published on Feb. 10, of this year, Wine Industry Insight noted that Hill had launched a new web site and business using his agronomy education and experience.

 

That Wine Industry Insight article prompted numerous emails suggesting that Hill was engaging in webwashing, and that the photos on the were were clip art and not him as represented.

 

Upon further examination, Wine Industry Insight was able to determine that the images on the site — which appear to be Hill — were stock photos and many incorrectly identified the illustrated person as Hill.

This is what Jeffry Hill looks like

The following photo of Hill appeared in this JAN. 24, 2015, New York Times article: “In Vino Veritas. In Napa, Deceit.” It bears no resemblance to the photo, above, from Hill’s web site. More on that farmer in the soybean field photo farther down.

 

 

It is, however, revealing to compare the photo, above, with the one below in a screen capture from Hill’s web site:

That does not appear to be the man identified as Jeffry Hill in the New York Times photo. That photo appears to be John Kresevic:

Wine Executive News subscribers please click here to read the other half of this 1,149-word article and view more images.

Wine Executive News subscribers also have access to premium sidebar: Tracking down Jeffry Hill’s new ventures – Agronomy Group & ATP Agriculture & Irrigation Consultants

Also In This Article:

The full text of the following sections is available to premium subscribers of Wine Executive News.

• Kresevic photo and soybean farmer not only photo-impersonations

• Farmer in soybean field is also NOT Hill — But is premium iStock/Getty image & copyrighted

• Breach of content license agreement, if purchased, copyright violation if not

• Many sites, great effort at new presence

• Emails, text and messages sent

• Houzz this possible?

By following the links in various cross-linked web and social media sites, Wine Industry Insight  managed to gain a clearer assessment of the extent of Hill’s reputation polishing efforts. Some of the links we followed are below.

 

Web links for all of these are live for premium subscribers:

 

1. Twitter
2. Tumblr
3. Medium
4. Weebly
5. About.me
6. Behance
7. Crunchbase
8. Soundcloud
9. MySpace
10. Facebook
11. Quora
12. Slideshare
13. Foodspottingll
14. issuu
15. Academia.edu
16. Wattpad
17. LiveInfographic.Com
18. Flavors.me
19. Houzz

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