Dane Cook's Brother Steals Millions From Him: Prosecutors

WOBURN, Mass. — The half brother of comedian Dane Cook has pleaded not guilty to embezzling millions from the comedian and was ordered held on $3 million bail.

Darryl McCauley was arraigned Wednesday at Woburn District Court on charges including forgery and larceny. Prosecutors alleged that McCauley, 43, stole the money from Cook while being paid $12,500 a month to act as business manager for Great Dane Enterprises, Inc.

Judge Joseph Jennings ordered McCauley to document the source of any funds used to meet his bail.

Cook's attorney, Joseph Zwicker, described Cook as "very distraught" about the situation. McCauley's attorney, Robert Goldstein, said his client is innocent.

"Mr. McCauley denies taking money from his brother without his consent," he said. "He's ready to confront these allegations."

Prosecutors accused McCauley of transferring funds from Cook's business accounts to his personal accounts between July 2007 and December 2008. In one instance, McCauley forged a $3 million check written from Cook's account to himself, investigators said.

McCauley allegedly used the money to buy four cars, and to take a seven-day trip across the country, during which he rented various cars. Prosecutors say investigators raided a Maine home McCauley owned and found $800,000 in cash in a safe.

Assistant Attorney General Rick Grundy also said McCauley talked about opening a restaurant in Ireland. Grundy said investigators have yet to find much of the allegedly stolen money.

McCauley worked with Cook during much of the comedian's early career, selling merchandise at Cook's shows and managing his Web site. Grundy said McCauley worked as an officer with the state Department of Correction before quitting to work for Cook full time.

"Mr. McCauley has been critical to Mr. Cook's success," Goldstein said.

Cook, 36, suspected his brother was stealing from him for some time, prosecutors said. He recently hired a new business manager in California and had been pressuring McCauley to hand over documents. Assistant Attorney General Rick Grundy said investigators were recently tipped off to the scheme by Cook's attorney.

Cook's comedy album, "Retaliation," went double platinum. He has recently appeared in several films, including "My Best Friend's Girl" with Kate Hudson.

Comments

[ElPerro]

Sounds like karmic justice to me, since Cook as bilked millions from the American public by pretending to be a comic.

[Sandy248]

ICAM. I don't find him entertaining at all.

[unfettered]

I love this story.
I wish there was audio so i could listen to it all day.
2009 is starting out great.

[GhostofBillHicks]

WHAT?! Dane Cook had million$! I didn't know sucking paid so well,who'd of thunk it?

[LollieDotCom]

When did it become so cool to hate Dane Cook of all people?? He's always made my 35 yr old daughter, my 16 year old grandson and even me laugh our tails off.

Yes, he had millions that he earned from being hilarious.

Yes, he was ripped off by someone in his family he trusted.

You are kicking him while he's down for..... what?

~~~~~

Dane, you've just got to ignore the haters. Or play with them. Whatever. Sorry to hear about your brother. That's a shame.

[jugganaut]

Contrary to your simplistic "it must be jealous haters" theory, the disdain many of us bear for Dane Cook doesn't stem from envy.

No, we dislike Cook because he himself is a thief. He's plagiarized the material of numerous other legitimately funny comedians-Louis CK, Dmitri Martin, Eddie Murphy, etc. The TRULY funny thing is that he steals their material and hacks it up/dumbs it down so that people like you (i.e., those with bad senses of humor) think it's funny.

I've been employed as a writer/editor for several comedians, helping them to develop and polish material for their acts. I know plagiarism when I see it, and believe me, Cook's reputation among other comics within the industry is generally absolute S.H.E.-I.T.E.

We're not taking any satisfaction out of Cook's misfortune just because we're jealous of his success; no, we're simply appreciating the karmic irony.

[Moka11]

Thank you for mentioning you and your family have "tails."
This explains much about the appeal of Dane Cook in your family.

[Canuck27]

Since Dane has been stealing material from Bill Hicks for years I think this is just a little Karma coming around.

[ScoutandBuckGoodDogs]

I can guarantee the haters who don't feel others should reap the rewards of their hard work (sometimes resulting in millions of dollars) would feel differently if it were THEIR money being stolen.

Get a grip, stealing is wrong. That's what they teach elementary school children anyway... or should.

[jaymcb]

How did Dane Cook ever earn a million dollars?

[Sparty1]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I swear. I was like how did that happen? He stinks as a comic and certainly as an actor. I would've assumed he had a few hundreds of thousands, but millions? It must be easy as heck to make it in Hollyweird.

[Big0725]

Maye he sign a contract with the devil. I know Carson Daly did. That can be the only answer.

[yorkville7]

WHERE ARE THE GREAT COMIDIANS LIKE judy tenuta and dana carvy

[RODERICK098]

Agree with your thought but not your choices.

[DFutureIsNow]

Isn't it his twin brother Dane Crook?

[isom74]

Now THAT'S Funny!

[BruntLIVE]

Dane Cook is the white Carlos Mencia. Joke stealer who using a fake name. (Dane Cook real name is Joseph Speilritch)

[RaRah]

Oh...thanks...for nothing.

[mzwednesday]

Is your real name BruntLIVE?

[ArtCarnage]

This is completely untrue. If Cook stole jokes, then at least his "act" would have a few laughs. Instead, he gets in front of an audience of drunk college kids, and speaks with the cadence and mannerisms of someone being funny, all without ever actually being funny.

[swellsoire]

Cook is a notorious joke thief. He has no delivery skills. Carlos Mencia has stolen other comedians' material to use as skits and bits on his show. There are many examples of their thievery available on YouTube.

[Huffingbrownbag]

RUSSELL CONTRERAS reported:

Prosecutors accused McCauley of transferring funds from Cook's business accounts to his personal accounts between July 2007 and December 2008. In one instance, McCauley forged a $3 million check written from Cook's account to himself, investigators said.

My question: where do you cash a $3 million check..? MoneyTree! "Mr. McCauley, just make sure you pay your rent on the way to the casino."

[bill76]

how do we live in a world where dane freaking cook has so much money he doesn't notice when someone steals 3 MILLION from him?

[najablah]

Ha! I was thinking the same thing and then I thought, "How do we live in a world where George W. Bush was elected President . . . TWICE!" Gawd!

[RODERICK098]

Maybe they were paying people to laugh at his 'jokes'

[larry278]

Error: should read ;;;wry addition to the saying...

[larry278]

Some wit will come up with a wry addition the the saying, "You can't choose your family but you can choose your friends." to cover the times when your family rob you & otherwise are an undue burden. This is one of the times when only children are grateful that they don't have siblings. Life is difficult enough if you have toxic parents & older ne're do well older relations. The sadly mistaken idealists who speak of the positive role a family plays in developing character may shut up or won't be heard as the world laughs at them after a few more incidents like this.

[happycat]

Dane should thank his brother.