Police refused to take missing person reports in serial killer case
Thursday, Jan. 1 2009 @ 12:14PM
A 45-second promo for Dane Cook's movie, Good Luck Chuck.
News articles as well as tips to the True Crime Report about Dane Cook's half-brother Darryl J. McCauley -- and McCauley's wife, Erika -- tell a story of spending sprees, cash hidden in safes, alleged petty thievery, cosmetics and witches.
More about the witch thing in a bit.
Forty-three-year-old Darryl J. McCauley pleaded not guilty in a Massachusetts courtroom on New Year's Eve to charges he embezzled over $10 million from Dane Cook between the summer of 2007 and McCauley's arrest on Tuesday, December 30. McCauley's bail was set at $3 million.
In November, Dane Cook decided he wanted a manager based in California, and that was when things began to get a lot more hinky between the siblings. Cook asked McCauley to turn business records over to his new manager, and McCauley balked.
Cook's lawyer, Joseph Zwicker, started investigating the matter, and eventually turned over what he found to the Massachusetts authorities.
For his part, Darryl J. McCauley insists he is innocent. Meaning, I guess, that he says he didn't cash a $3 million check on his famous brother's account. He didn't go on a cross-country spending spree with the money, using cash to hide the paper trail. And that $800,000 in cash found in a safe in a home the McCauleys own in Maine? Just money from Erika McCauley's cosmetic business.
While McCauley has been called Dane Cook's business manager in most press reports about his arrest, he referred to himself at one point as "the Vice-President of Great Dane Enterprises Inc. the entertainment company of Actor/Comedian Dane Cook."
This reference was made in a testimonial McCauley wrote for something called DAGNet Solutions. Portfolio.com lists both McCauley and Cook as executives for DAGNet, but that may be an error in the way the magazine indexed business listings for the company. New Hampshire's business database lists only one officer and president.
If a tip I received about Darryl McCauley's wife of 10 years, Erika, is correct, she's a piece of work in her own right, and I wouldn't be surprised if that comes out in the wash, later.
Requesting anonymity, the source said that she "unfortunately" met Erika McCauley while attending an esthetician program at an institution for makeup artists and spa technicians in Westbrook, Maine in the early part of 2008.
Erika McCauley set off her "hinky meter [...] for many reasons concerning money."
There were allegedly some thefts at the school, and the tipster suspected Erika. Additionally, many of the stories Erika told in casual conversation seemed outlandish, including her connection to Dane Cook (which was, obviously, true after all). The source stated, however, that Erika made it "clear that she did not like Dane at all."
Erika also allegedly flaunted expensive accessories, such as pocketbooks, and talked at length about equipment and products she was purchasing while taking the classes at the school. The source stated that she could recall as much as "20k" that Erika said had "dropped shipped" of high-end Grafton Cosmetics.
Erika McCauley also spoke of owning a boutique in Florida and a restaurant she said she and her husband owned in Portland, Maine. There were claims about plastic surgery, but the tipster admitted not remembering details there because to her, it all sounded "like an awful lot of bragging."
Erika supposedly tried to recruit other students to come work for her business in York, Maine, but my source, for one, wasn't interested. There was a rumor going around at the school that Erika was "a practicing witch." My source even joked that she didn't want to use her name because she was afraid Erika might "put a hex" on her. (Using a screen name she also used to register a website, Erika wrote in Yahoo Answers about being "a practicing Witch.")
My anonymous correspondent was convinced that Erika McCauley played a key role in the alleged embezzlement by Darryl McCauley, but Erika has not been arrested, nor as far as I know, charged with anything.
Her Sea Boutique could have easily been started with the money she earned from her work as a makeup artist and Darryl McCauley's work managing Dane Cook's business affairs (and posting videos from Cook's wretchedly bad movie Good Luck Chuck on YouTube, apparently).
To be sure, though -- Erika McCauley had Hollywood ambitions. She registered AuditionErika.com 8 years ago. The site is offline right now, but an archived version from 2002 makes it clear that she wanted her connection to Dane Cook known, and that she wanted to be seen as more than a makeup artist:
As a multi-dimensional actress, I am a motivated performer. Do you have a need for drama, comedy or improv? You can count on me to be what you need me to be!
She also promoted an independent film in which she had a role playing a woman who meets a man on the Internet, but things go downhill from there. A promo for the film in which Erika speaks at length can be viewed here.
If Erika does become more deeply embroiled in the legal issues between her husband and famous brother-in-law, the URL she chose for her business website might seem somewhat ironic in the future: MyNecessaryLuxuries.com.
Erika and Darryl are two real pieces of shit. Thank you for this much needed and interesting information. Erika's performance as "claudia" is purely pathetic. I hope all does come out in the wash for this sad excuse of a person, YES you Ms. Erika McCauley!
Posted 01/01/2009 at 07:12:09 PMDarryl and Erika are 2 THEIVES & FREAKS. They STOLE everything they have! I cant wait to see all the "assets" siezed. DO you people need your eyes checked? She's a fat pig with the ugliest face on earth! How could you purchase cosmentics & clothing from a witch with no style and a face from hell?Did ya get a good look at her? Anyone can pick out foundation! If you bought anything from her store...You owe the money back to Dane Cook.....Afterall,everting in her store was purchased, by her, with STOLEN money from Dane. Hope she and her embezzeler husband rot in jail!
Posted 01/03/2009 at 07:26:31 AMWOW!! To be this nasty to someone, you have to wonder what these 'anonymous' people have against Erika? It sounds like this TIPSTER has it in for this poor woman. Ok, so her acting is horrible and she's overweight. It doesn't mean she's a bad person or that she doesn't know what she's doing. Maybe these 'anonymous' people are just jealous of what they themselves don't have.
Posted 01/03/2009 at 05:11:39 PMDANE PLEASE CALL ME .....................IMPORTANT...........CHECK MY HOME..HOW IS YOUR SISTER........
Posted 01/04/2009 at 11:05:13 AMJeebus. Being Pagan, I wonder what in the world being a "witch" has to do with any of this. I'm not PC, but man, you never see any other criminals being labeled as "practicing Christians" or any mention made of their religion when they do stuff wrong, and it's just as much a part of their psychology and makeup as it is for those of us who are Pagan. All irrelevant details like that do is reinforce an image in folks' minds that ALL Pagans are like that, and most don't have any experience of other Pagans to know how false that is.
Granted, she's not a very GOOD witch, if she so blatantly ignores our whole "harm none" ethic (and I strongly suspect that she's a wanna-be, someone who calls themself a witch because they perceive it as being "cool" or funky or gothy or whatever). But then, you can't call criminals good Christians, either.
Posted 01/04/2009 at 11:56:00 PMOk, wait, what happened to 'innocent until PROVEN guilty'? Chris, you're right, being Pagan has NOTHING to do with this case but YOU are being unfair to assume she even did anything wrong! Do you know her personally? Do you know for a fact she's a bad person? Or are all your 'facts' based on an article that reeks of personal attack? Think about that before you brand someone a heretic. Remember 1692.
Posted 01/05/2009 at 08:54:38 AMI know Erika McCauley. Her boutique is in the town I live in. None of what I am about to say is hearsay or speculation. She is not a nice person. She is a braggart. She is rude and very condescending to the girls that work for her in her boutique. She employs high school age girls who aren't old enough to question her antics and erratic behavior. They get paid better than any other store in this seaside town (which is closed up for the winter) and they get handed expensive merchandise while being told to ring it up as charity. She purchased a condo in the building that houses her tiny boutique for the purpose of opening a spa. At the end of the summer, she had a sale at her boutique, but would let select customers go up to the other space which held thousands and thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. This was all being sold for 75% off. All very expensive, high end merchandise.
She bragged incessantly about her husband's relation to Dane Cook, her fame as a makeup artist to the stars, her trips, her new restaurant in Florida and patted herself on the back that she was paying the tuition for one of her shopgirls to go to a private school. She was flippant to customers and rude to people who came in her store "just to look". In this small community, many have wondered where the McCauley's got all of their flaunted money. Darryl McCauley was very quiet and reserved, while Erika had a holier than thou attitude 99.9% of the time. It was a common question that if they had all of this money, why weren't they in Malibu and not York Beach, Maine? The local paper stated that Erika's excuse for the $800,000.00 seized from their condo was that it was profits from the boutique that opened one year ago. We only have tourists here 4 months out of the year. Her boutique is no larger than a one car garage and her children's store is smaller. It doesn't add up. Now we might know why.
I know nothing of her practicing witchcraft. I do believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. I also believe that what goes around comes around and clearly karma has caught up to the McCauleys.
NOTE FROM STEVE: Thank you for the comment, Camille. I'm sure Erika, um, "Knowing" will show up soon to defend Erika.
Posted 01/05/2009 at 01:13:55 PMWow! I'm a local, too, and I've done business with Erika. She's always been absolutely fair and pleasant to me, and to whatever employees, clients, and co-workers I've seen her with. She works hard and cares about the community, and about the rebuilt hotel her businesses are in. Why don't we see how the investigation goes, and skip the mean-spirited personal attacks! Does posting hateful, bilious garbage about someone who knows a celebrity make you feel better? Grow up!
Posted 01/05/2009 at 04:49:36 PMI must say, it sounds like you have a stick up your ass Camille,do I sense a bit of jealousy. I know my sister, and she acts like a sister. I can't believe the way you poeple come out of the woodwork to go out of your way to bash someone, when the person who should be bashed is Dane for the accusations he is making towards his brother, because anyone who knows Darryl knows that he would not do anything to his brother or anyone else for that matter. So if you don't know my sister like a sister or Darryl like a brother you can just keep your mouths' shut you small minded parasites.
Posted 01/05/2009 at 07:47:23 PMWell, this is very interesting. I am ashamed to admit this but I was (a very long time ago)very close to Ms. McCauley and believe me (being a real witch_)karam will be bitting her directly in the A.. for this. She and Darryl have been stealing for a long time. Sometimes you just wake up one morning and say, boy am I glad to have seen this. They hopefully will get everything they deserve, which is not much. And by the way who ever it was worried that she could put a hex on them for speaking up, Erika couldn't put a hex on a fly....she is 100% fake, all the way around.
Posted 01/05/2009 at 09:04:51 PMThanks to the universe for the law of karma.
I stand behind everything I say. You can call me anything you want. My experience with her might be different than your own and that's what makes the world go around. Jealous? Don't make me laugh. I didn't put Darryl in jail. I was too busy getting the stick out of my ass. Best of luck to you and your family. You need not address me further for saying what I have a right to say in a public forum about MY personal experience with someone who put THEMSELVES in the public eye.
Posted 01/05/2009 at 10:04:16 PMI know them both personally. Ericka is a bitch (ive been around her, So I know she is), a liar (she's lyeing right now about Dane authorizing a check...which is total BS, She lyed about being a make-up artist to stars ..are you shitting me?), a theif (read the artical above...she was in a make-up class when there was a theft,and everyone suspected her!), she's manipulative (she most likely manipulated Darrly to steal from his brother), rude, and a big mouth (did I mention Fat and ugly..you cant deny that!). She uses people. She's WHITE TRASH. Pretending to be something she's not. Did anyone catch the "Scorpian Bowl" clip? What a JOKE. She never had anything nice to say about Dane,and only USED his fame and name when she thought it could open doors for her that would be otherwise, slammed in her ugly face. A long time ago, Darrly was instructed to keep her away from the entire Cook family. Not one of them can stand to be in her presence. She's the one who "self proclaimed" herself a a witch (which should be BITCH....she's such a weirdo!!!). Who in their right mind would be jealous of that? I know more about she & Darryl than any of you, and she will go down for this. Dane's the VICTIM. He didnt authorize anyone to write a f'n 3 million dollar check. But, that's Erika's story! (another LIE) Brain must be smokin more crack than usual.
Posted 01/06/2009 at 07:11:12 AMFor crying out loud.
If Dane is saying that he did not authorize Darryl to cash a 3 million dollar check, and Darryl indeed cashed a 3 million dollar check, then this means that Darryl is in big trouble.
Simple as that.
I beat the crap out of my sister one time when she took my Mountain Dew out of the fridge without asking...stealing is stealing and I doubt that Dane just up and gave his brother 3 million dollars without remembering that he did so.
Posted 01/06/2009 at 02:06:16 PMCant wait for the Wilmington Witch Trial to begin
Posted 01/06/2009 at 07:56:10 PMOk, wait, what happened to 'innocent until PROVEN guilty'? Chris, you're right, being Pagan has NOTHING to do with this case but YOU are being unfair to assume she even did anything wrong! Do you know her personally?
Knowing, please note the words "if" and "strongly suspect" in my comments. By the way, "innocent until proven guilty" has nothing to do with comments on a blog. It only applies in the eyes of the law and the justice system, not someone commenting on a blogger's use of someone-being-Pagan as being something "wrong" with that person.
If you think my fairly-bland comments were trashing Ms. Erika, then you are a true newb to crime blogs and the Net.
Posted 01/07/2009 at 12:51:22 PMHi - I've done business with Erika many times, and I found her to be very pleasant, easy to get along with, caring and welcoming. Her employees are not high school girls - they are local residents and are very knowledgable, nice and helpful about the products that are in Erika's stores. I'm a firm believer in innocence until proven guilty no matter what the media or these blogs say. He/she who has not sinned, be the first to throw the stone. To sin means to lie (even if it's a "little white lie" to your child), steal, cheat (yes, even on your diet), murder, etc...
Posted 01/25/2009 at 09:23:03 PMGod Bless you all and may you find a way to heal within.
Sam - Welcome to this forum where you have the freedom to express your very own opinion! But let me kindly point out one thing: We are not the ones sitting in jail being accused of stealing money from our brother.
I respect that you had a pleasant experience dealing with Erika. However -
her employees ARE highschool girls (most of them) - and if you say they aren't, then that would be a lie.
Another lie appears to be Erika's statement to the York Police Department that the $800,000.00 found in a wall safe in her home were profits from her boutique. If it's not a lie, then a lot of us are in the wrong business!
I'm pretty sure the ones hiding money in their walls and sitting in jail should be the ones finding a way to heal within. Just sayin'.
Posted 01/26/2009 at 01:28:01 AMIn the court of Public Opinion they are both guilty
Posted 02/01/2009 at 07:32:22 AMJust because someone is sitting in jail does not make them guilty. Many people have been wrongly accused and arrested for things they did NOT do. I have known Dane, Erika and Darryl for many years and my heart breaks for all of them. Whatever the outcome, their family is pretty much destroyed. I do not believe Darryl or Erika to be capable of what they are accused of. Nor do I think Dane would accuse them without good reason. So I hope it turns out that his new manager or someone on his team is trying to cover up their tracks and framing Darryl for the crime. Barring that, it's just going to be a big mess.
Posted 07/06/2009 at 03:37:13 PMI went to high school with Erika. I can definitely confirm that she is some flavor of pagan. We helped each other learn about paganism and witchcraft back in the bad, old pre-internet days when we were kids in high school. I cannot comment on her practice in recent times, as we lost touch with each other about ten years ago until just prior to her arrest. But her religion has nothing to do with the alleged crimes.
I can say that I am very surprised at the allegations against her and her husband. That doesn't match the people I knew. But the evidence against them is very bad, and the explanations are very thin. Having been a small business owner, I cannot imagine any circumstances where I would not somehow reinvest profits back into my business, but I certainly wouldn't put them in a wall. It doesn't make sense, and looks like the actions of people trying to hide something. I hope I'm wrong, but I am not optimistic.
Someone above claimed that Erika tried to use her connection to Dane to further her own career, but otherwise didn't like him. She never had anything but nice things to say about him when she and I last were in contact, but as I said, that was a decade ago, and things obviously can change in a hurry.
Posted 09/30/2009 at 04:41:55 PM