Sam Leccima was one of the only black cast members on A&E's most popular show, the real-estate-themed Flip This House. Presumably, he was also the only one who was just pretending to own and sell the houses he was (also not actually) renovating on the show.

"This is, indeed, a con artist," said Sonya McGee, an Atlanta pharmaceutical representative who says Leccima took $4,000 from her in an investment scheme.

McGee and others say Leccima's episodes of "Flip This House," A&E's most popular show, were elaborate hoaxes. His friends and family were presented as potential homebuyers and "sold" signs were slapped in front of unsold houses. They say the home repairs — the lynchpin of the show — were actually quick or temporary patch jobs designed to look good on camera.

Leccima says he never claimed to own the homes. While not acknowledging his televised renovations were staged, he didn't deny it and suggested that A&E and Departure Films, the production company that makes the show, knew exactly what he was doing.

Leccima also claimed to be a real estate agent, when the Georgia Real Estate Commission actually revoked it in 2005, "with the panel ruling he 'does not bear a good reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, integrity, and competence.'" Sigh. With Congressman Jefferson and now this loser, I've had enough dishonest black people for today. Only positive news from here on out.

In other words, I'm not going to make a big deal about how the Game was charged with three felonies in connection with a February incident (which involved guns, a schoolyard, and poor sportmanship) I told you about a few weeks ago. Yeah, I'm not mentioning that at all!

[BV, BS]