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Triple Jeopardy: Three Strikes But Not Out

I remember the exact words Dr. Rita Ali said to me on the phone the first time we discussed her book Triple Jeopardy: Three Strikes But Not Out (Words Matter Publishing): “I was incarcerated three times, but I didn’t do it.”

The “it” was a 27-count conviction in 2004 on fraud and related offenses, claiming Ali gained thousands of dollars in public funds and paid teachers, including her daughter and son, for nonexistent adult education classes when she served as Assistant Director of Education for the Sister Clara Muhammad School in Philadelphia, working in a partnership with the Community College of Philadelphia.

“Being convicted of crimes I did not commit is a relevant introduction to the journey you will embark upon with me,” she writes.

To understand Rita Ali, we must go well beyond her role at the SCMS. She says the handing down of the guilty verdicts when she was 57 years old was the defining moment in her life. Although in reading this intriguing memoir, one might argue there are many. 

The book can be divided into three neat sections: her rise as a prominent Philadelphia socialite, PR professional, event planner, health and beauty columnist, radio show producer, and business owner; the case against her; and her time serving her sentence.

ALI’S MANY STAR-STUDDED CONNECTIONS

She is the mother-in-law of Mike Tyson, a distant relative of Bill Cosby, was active in bringing major boxing events to Philly, had tight connections with local politicians and business leaders, and used that influence to grow her brand. 

She had a close personal relationship with Muhammad Ali, which opened doors for her and is a big part of the book’s first part. When members of Ali’s entourage questioned her motives, caused in part by the Champ’s own infamous style of flirtation and humor, he shouted back, “No, I’m just fooling around. She’s a clean woman, she’s my Muslim sister and she’s smart too.” She says Ali guided her and “pushed me forward” in life.

She describes her conviction as “the federal plot to take down my family and me.” While the charges against her state that she participated in a ghost employee scam and took in money for an adult education program that didn’t really exist, the author disputes that claim vigorously. 

SHARING HER SIDE OF THE STORY

To hear Ali explain her side sounds totally plausible: She had limited involvement with the Community College of Philadelphia, accepted small rent from them for classroom space, and while she says the signups and number of attendees were reasonable from the outset of the program and classes did take place, it is not unusual, she says, for people to fall off and stop attending as the semesters wear on. This then had the appearance of classes not really happening. She also says investigators conducted “selective prosecution” of her facility and not many others that also were under surveillance.

“Politically motivated agendas, hatred for the religion of Islam, as well as racism are all major factors in the federal government charging me and my family members with numerous felonies,” she writes. She also says they initially were coming after her specifically hoping she would provide information about her husband and his activities.

“Being under federal indictment feels like a herd of unstoppable elephants charging at you all at the same time, experiencing the attack of multiple forces in modern day culture: the media and the federal government (FBI).”

She criticizes the media for regularly “depicting me as an unscrupulous, greedy and generally lowlife person,” believing the feds unethically fed information to the press in order to prejudice potential jury members down the road.

THIS FIGHTER’S STORY LEAVES A LASTING IMPRESSION

Ali’s words to describe her time in jail are well expressed: “I suddenly felt weighty, like I was trapped beneath a tractor-trailer. My breathing became labored and I began to feel claustrophobic. As my eyes swelled with tears, a sense of hopelessness and despair enclosed me like a cocoon.”

As is clear through every chapter of this fascinating memoir, much like her son-in-law and the many others she knew in the boxing world, Rita Ali is a fighter. She would have to be, with the fortitude to battle her way to business success, a position of respect in many sectors of her community, and stand up as best she could to the forces against her.

“Though I was knocked down, beaten down, lied on, and humiliated, I stood strong … I overcame getting knocked down by getting back up.”

But her story is not without scars. “An oversaturation of negative and distorted media accounts presenting my husband and me as deplorable characters undoubtedly leaves a lasting impression.”

So will this book.

Learn more about Dr. Ali’s harrowing story in our interview and visit her BookTrib author profile page.


 


Buy this Book!

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Triple Jeopardy: Three Strikes But Not Out by
Publish Date: 4/8/2021
Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction
ISBN: 9781662911550
Jim Alkon

Jim Alkon is Editorial Director of BookTrib.com. Jim is a veteran of the business-to-business media and marketing worlds, with extensive experience in business development and content. Jim is a writer at heart – whether a book review, blog, white paper, corporate communication, marketing or sales piece, it really doesn’t matter as long as he is having fun and someone is benefitting from it.

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