Collegian

Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Matt Lewis Clifton Oliver, founder of Club Millionaire.

Everyone is a millionaire with Club Millionaire (CM).

That's the slogan for a clothing line in the works by an LCCC student.

He is not just any student. Clifton Oliver, 27, is a million dollar student.

Oliver was falsely accused of setting off fireworks at Jacobs Field on June 11, 2002. A Cuyahoga County jury awarded him, and Donald Krieger, $400,000 in compensatory damages and $600,000 in punitive damages during the November 2006 trial.

A security video revealed they were watching the Indians game and nowhere near the incident, Oliver said.

"I expect to receive the money within 30 days," Oliver said, "then I plan to set up the clothing line."

Oliver, a design major at LCCC, said three of his friends are helping him start the clothing line: Steve Vacco, Jim Karpinski, and Reshad Reed.

Vacco graduated from CSU in accounting and will act as business adviser/ accountant, Oliver said.

Karpinski graduated from the Art Institute of Columbus in graphic design, and Reed is a freelance designer, Oliver said.

"It started as the Carol Mob," Oliver said. "My friends during high school all lived on Carol Lane in Elyria, and the police gave us the nick name."

The Carol Mob became Club Millionaire after the 2002 fiasco with Jacobs Field, Oliver said.

One of his friends at the game that day was not so lucky, Oliver said.

Andrew Mendez was convicted in 2003 by a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on aggravated arson, assault, and three counts of negligent assault, Oliver said.

"I know he didn't do it," Oliver said. "I've known this kid my whole life, and like us, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Oliver, who now roots for the Boston Red Sox, said he is also using the money to set up appeal for Mendez with the best defense team.

Oliver said he would give the money back in a heartbeat if he could just re-enlist in the Marine Corps.

The incident prevents him from re-enlisting, said Oliver, who served in the Marine Corps from 1999 to 2003.

"I was devastated," he said. "They took my career."

Now, unable to have the career he loves, he is pursuing his other interest, graphic design, he said.

"We came up with the name after the trial," Oliver said. "Then we designed the main logo."

Oliver said he is working with New Era, a popular hat company, to design hats for the clothing line.

"The whole point of the clothing line is to make you feel like you're worth something," Oliver said. "Everybody is a millionaire with Club Millionaire."

Oliver said he is even using a design from his Marine Corps uniform for some of his clothes.

"We hope to be up and running by summer," Oliver said. "I also plan to design shoes after the clothing line is established."

Students interested in the clothing line can e-mail Oliver at 1club.millionaire @gmail.com or check out his Myspace, titled The Official Myspace Page of Clifton Oliver, for updates on the clothing line.

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