Top Red-Light Camera Scammer Headed to Jail

It has been a bad week for the photo enforcement industry. On Monday, the Missouri Supreme Court issued three separate rulings declaring the red light camera and speed camera ordinances unconstitutional (view rulings). This was followed Thursday with Karen Finley’s plea of guilty to photo enforcement corruption in Chicago. Finley is the long-time leader of Redflex Traffic Systems of Australia, once one of the world’s leading vendors of automated ticketing machines. Now the company is fighting for its survival.

Redflex shares traded Thursday at fire-sale prices on the Australian Securities Exchange. The stock tumbled to an all-time low of 30 cents per share, off from the peak price of $4.15 per share. As numerous cities have abandoned the use of automated ticketing machines, the company’s profits have tumbled — down 414 percent in the past year. Now many jurisdictions fear being associated with Redflex given the nature of the ongoing federal investigation, adding to the financial woes.