Two Former San Bernardino County Officials Accused Of San Bernardino White Collar Crime

Posted on: February 14, 2010 at 2:01 a.m.

Bill Postumus, the former San Bernardino County Supervisor, and James Erwin, the county’s former assistant assessor were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of accepting bribes for a multi-million settlement.

This is the second time that the two former county officials have been arrested in connection with a political corruption probe. They are accused of accepting bribes to push for a $102 million settlement between the county and a developer, according to state and county prosecutors.

Prosecutors contend that Postmus accepted $100,000 from the developer for his vote in support of the settlement. According to them, the money was funneled through two political action committees that he secretly controlled.

Postmus then allegedly transferred $50,000 from one of the committees into his campaign account, using some of the funds for personal meals and entertainment.

According to the complaint, Colonies gave Erwin $100,000, which was deposited into a political action committee he allegedly controlled as well.

In addition to money, Erwin is accused of accepting gifts such as a private jet trip to New York, prostitutes and a watch. He was earlier charged with perjury for allegedly failing to report those gifts after he was appointed assistant assessor in 2007.

If convicted on all the new charges, Erwin faces up to 12 years in prison and Postmus faces up to eight. Both men are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday and both are expected to plead not guilty.

San Bernardino white collar crimes are often times kept in the dark, but people are accused of them all the time. This incident has had its fair share of media attention, but there are many other cases that go unnoticed by the general public. Often times, people are wrongfully accused of San Bernardino white collar crimes and it can have devastating effects on their careers and lives. A San Bernardino white collar crime accusation can significantly tarnish a politician or businessperson’s image and track record.

In order to protect your track record, credibility and rights, you should immediately contact a knowledgeable and professional San Bernardino white collar defense attorney team. The dedicated San Bernardino white collar defense attorney team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP has more than 50 years of courtroom experience and can protect your rights in court if you have been accused of a San Bernardino white collar crime. We are one of the top rated white collar crime defense attorney teams in the country and will work diligently to protect the different aspects of life that a white collar crime can affect. Contact us at 1-877-781-1570 or visit our website at www.keglawyers.com for more information on San Bernardino white collar crimes and on how we can help you.

Tagged as: los angeles white collar defense attorney, los angeles bribery

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Los Angeles White Collar Crime Defense

Posted on: January 16, 2010 at 12:14 a.m.

Los Angeles white collar defense attorneys spend hours pouring over paperwork and files to try and interpret the exact nature of the crimes their clients have been charged with. Los Angeles white collar crime can range from thousands to tens of millions of dollars, and with recent events the government is taking a much closer look at such crimes.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on Monday that it has charged Beverly Hills, California-based NewPoint Financial Services, Inc. and its co-owners and controller for conducting an unregistered offering fraud aimed at Iranian-Americans in the Los Angeles area. The SEC obtained an emergency court order to freeze their assets and preserve remaining funds that were collected from investors. The SEC also seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions and civil penalties against the defendants.

The SEC’s complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that NewPoint, co-owners John Farahi and Gissou Rastegar Farahi, and its controller Elaheh Amouei targeted investors in the Iranian-American community by touting New Point on a daily finance radio program that John Farahi hosts on a Farsi language radio station in the Los Angeles area. The SEC alleges that the Farahis or Amouei misled more than 100 investors into purchasing more than $20 million worth of debentures that they falsely told them were low-risk. Many investors also were falsely told that they were investing in FDIC-insured certificates of deposit, government bonds, or corporate bonds issued by companies. The SEC alleges that most of the money raised was instead transferred to accounts controlled by the Farahis to, among other things, fund construction of their multi-million dollar personal residence in Beverly Hills.

According to the SEC allegations, Farahi and Amouei also made further misrepresentations to investors in an effort to lull them into keeping their money with NewPoint, saying that their money is safe and that they are guaranteed to get the entirety of their investment back.

A hearing on whether a preliminary injunction should be issued against the defendants and whether a permanent receiver should be appointed is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.

A Los Angeles white collar crime is defined as an illegal act(s) using deceit and concealment to obtain money, property, or services, or to secure a business or professional advantage. Los Angeles white collar crimes differ from violent crimes because they usually don’t involve physical violence and tend to relate to financial matters instead. A Los Angeles white collar crime, like a violent crime or any other crime, can carry heavy consequences depending on the severity of the crime.

In the case of the NewPoint co-owners and controller, there may be penalties as well as civil consequences that the defendants might face if convicted. An experienced team of Los Angeles white collar crime defense attorneys can guide you through the process of white collar trials and devise a strategy that can prove your innocence or reduce consequences associated with white collar crimes. The Los Angeles white collar crime defense team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP has more than 50 years of in-court experience and can offer you advice and legal counsel if you have been accused or charged with a Los Angeles white collar crime. If you have been accused of a white collar crime, call us at 1(877) 781-1570 immediately or visit our website at www.keglawyers.com.

Tagged as: los angeles white collar defense attorney, los angeles embezzlement

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White Collar Crime and Los Angeles

Posted on: December 31, 2009 at 6:11 a.m.

Los Angeles white collar defense is incredibly complicated for many reasons: juries like to convict "crooked" executives; the evidence can be difficult to follow; prosecutors can make a name for themselves convicting a high profile individuals; etc. This is why Los Angeles white collar defense attorneys must be knowledge regarding the law and equipped to go "toe to toe" with the city, state or federal government's best lawyers.

High profile Los Angeles white collar defense cases also involve the press, so any defense attorney must be able to speak with the press without getting flustered or giving too much information away.

In a recent white collar case, a New York man was formally charged last week in scam at New York University. John Runowicz, who worked as an administrator for NYU’s Chemistry Department, has been accused of falsely submitting receipts by attaching them to University reimbursement request forms. Investigators in the case believe Runowicz scavenged discarded receipts at a local liquor store and claimed that they were departmental expenses to be paid for by the department’s petty cash reserves. Investigators estimate that Runowicz submitted roughly 13,000 false receipts between 2003 and January of 2009, conning the University out of more than $409,000 in petty cash expenses. Runowicz, who was fired from the University this past summer after an internal audit revealed his activities, has been charged with falsifying business documents in both the first and second degrees, and grand larceny. If convicted, he could be facing up to 15 years in prison.

When most people think of criminal activities, they tend to think of violent crimes such as robbery or assault. However, many crimes are committed everyday in Los Angeles that, like Runowicz’s alleged criminal activity at New York University, is entirely without violence. Crimes such as embezzlement, fraud or identity theft are typically committed with no threat of violence whatsoever. These crimes are commonly called “white collar” crimes, and while they may not appear as dangerous as violent crimes, they are also taken very seriously in Los Angeles. Los Angeles white collar crimes can be either misdemeanor criminal offenses or felonies, depending on the amount of damage done or value of what was wrongfully taken.

Most Los Angeles white collar crimes also involve lengthy jail sentences, large fines and either probation or parole in the case of a conviction. If you or someone you know has been charged with a white collar crime such as embezzlement or fraud, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today. Our attorneys have more than 50 years of combined experience in successfully defending against criminal charges of all types. Don’t let your good reputation be ruined by an accusation. Let us fight for you, call us at 877-781-1570.

Tagged as: los angeles white collar defense attorney, los angeles embezzlement

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Ex-Model Cindy Crawford Victim Of Alleged Extortion Plot

Posted on: December 21, 2009 at 7:33 p.m.

In November, ex-model Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber were victims of an alleged Los Angeles extortion plot. According to authorities, Edis Kayalar, 26, allegedly tried to extort $100,000 from the ex-model and her husband over a photo of their daughter bound to a chair and gagged.

Although Kayalar is being charged with one count of a Los Angeles extortion, he is currently believed to be in Stuttgart, Germany after he was recently deported. An arrest in the case has not been made. The photo was purportedly taken by the couple's former nanny earlier this year and shows the girl, then 7, bound to a chair wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

The daughter told her parents, who were unaware of the photo, that the nanny took the picture as part of a "cops and robbers" game, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Kayalar stole the photo from the nanny and repeatedly sought to get money from Crawford and Gerber, starting in July, according to the affidavit.

Gerber later met with him at a bar, where Kayalar showed him a copy of the photo.

Although Gerber eventually gave Kayalar $1,000 in cash “for his trouble” Kayalar believed he could have received $500,000 from the tabloids for the photograph and that he deserved more money from them, according to the affidavit.

Although Kayalar is not in the country, he faces one count of a Los Angeles extortion and could face up to two years in prison if convicted. In Los Angeles, extortion is defined as the act of using threats to obtain money or property from a person. A threat in the case of extortion does not include immediate or impending physical harm, but rather the possibility of harm in the future. Extortion is a criminal offense that can result in jail or prison as well as many other consequences if convicted. If the case has received media attention, as is the case here, then the prosecutor’s office typically takes an even tougher stance and may ask for the maximum sentence.

If you have been accused of a Los Angeles extortion, you need a knowledgeable team to help defend your rights in court. The experienced Los Angeles white collar crime defense team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP has over 50 years of courtroom experience and can devise a defense that could have your charges dropped or sentencing minimized. If you have been accused of a Los Angeles white collar crime, like extortion, call Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP immediately at 1-877-781-1570 or visit our site at www.keglawyers.com for more information on defenses and how we can help you if you’ve been accused of a Los Angeles white collar crime.

Tagged as: los angeles white collar defense attorney, los angeles extortion

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Mortgage Loan Company Owners And Lawyers Indicted In Mortgage Fraud Case

Posted on: December 16, 2009 at 8:18 p.m.

A growing area of Los Angeles white collar crime is mortgage fraud, and Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys are defending more and more executives charged with mortgage fraud. In Los Angeles, because real estate is such an important industry, mortgage fraud becomes a serious crime.

Five people were recently indicted on charges for participating in a $14.6 million mortgage fraud plot in Philadelphia that resulted in 35 fraudulent mortgage loans.

Those facing charges include Edward McCusker and John Alford Bariana, owners of Axxium Mortgage Inc.; Mr. McCusker's wife, Jacqueline; and Jeffrey A. Bennett and Stephen G. Doherty, owners of Doylestown, Pa., law firm Bennett & Doherty PC. The charges brought on include conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Doherty also faces a charge of bankruptcy fraud.

According to the indictment, the defendants targeted financially distressed homeowners that were at risk of facing foreclosure or were facing foreclosure, falsely promising help to save their homes and obtaining several fraudulent mortgages.

"Unfortunately, the downturn in the economy has given rise to unscrupulous predators looking to cash in on the misfortune of others," said U.S. Attorney Michael Levy. "This sort of fraudulent activity not only preys on desperate homeowners, it weakens our financial institutions, destroys neighborhoods by leaving properties abandoned and devalues the homes of innocent neighbors."

If convicted, the McCuskers, Bennett and Bariana face maximum sentences of 240 years in prison and $3.25 million in fines while Doherty faces a maximum sentence of 385 years in prison and $4 million in fines.

As you can see from the above example, Los Angeles mortgage fraud is a serious manner that can have colossal consequences on anyone involved. Mortgage loan company owners as well as lawyers were indicted in Philadelphia; each faces a heavy maximum sentence in prison as well as sky-high fines if convicted.

The Los Angeles housing market is just as vulnerable as any other in the country and people are sometimes falsely accused of mortgage fraud for various reasons or misunderstandings. A Los Angeles mortgage fraud defense team can help if you have been accused of mortgage fraud or any of a list of white collar crimes.

The professional Los Angeles mortgage fraud defense team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP has over 50 years of in-court experience and can help you if you have been accused of mortgage fraud. We will work on your behalf to minimize the consequences brought on by a mortgage fraud charge or have your case dropped altogether. If you have been accused of a Los Angeles mortgage fraud be sure to contact the Los Angeles mortgage fraud defense team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP at 1-877-781-1570 or visit our site at www.keglawyers.com.

Tagged as: los angeles mortgage fraud, mortgage fraud, los angeles criminal defense attorney, los angeles white collar defense

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