Posted on 05/21/2016 11:58:10 AM PDT by Mark
Prosecutors put defendants’ assets on hold
Two homes worth more than $1M could be used to pay fines and restitution if there are convictions
With $122.5 million in possible fines and restitution in the Beaumont corruption case, prosecutors are trying to secure the homes and bank accounts of some defendants — former top city officials charged with embezzlement and misappropriation of funds.
Among the properties put on temporary ice this week are two million-dollar homes, one in Mendocino and one in Cardiff by the Sea, nestled just blocks from the Pacific Ocean.
Superior Court Judge Becky Dugan granted a temporary restraining order to keep 14 homes and nearly 70 bank, savings, IRA and investment accounts associated with six of the seven defendants from being transferred, encumbered or disposed, pending a hearing.
The district attorney’s motion for the order is based on a section of the state’s white collar crime law that allows prosecutors to put those assets on hold for possible restitution or payment of fines if there are convictions.
The former city officials were charged Tuesday with misappropriating nearly $43 million from Beaumont over two decades in a case outlined in 94 felony charges.
In seeking to protect the homes and bank accounts from transfer, prosecutors calculate that the defendants may be liable for $36.6 million in victim restitution and for fines that could reach nearly $86 million.
“The total amount the defendants are liable to pay in this case is $122,541,033.80, which includes fines and victim restitution,” the district attorney’s office said in its bid for the temporary restraining order.
“This amount exceeds the total value of the assets subject to the temporary restraining order sought in this matter,” district attorney senior investigator Doug Doyle said in his declaration. In other words, it still won’t be enough.
A declaration in which a specialized real estate investigator made a forensic review of the properties included outstanding loan amounts due, which appeared to affect the recovery value of some homes.
But former Beaumont planning director Ernest Egger’s Mar Vista Drive home near the ocean in Mendocino wasn’t one of those — it was estimated at more than $1 million in value. It was one of three homes Egger has in Mendocino, plus a South Lake Tahoe cabin valued at half a million dollars.
Down the coast at Cardiff by the Sea, former Beaumont economic development director David Dillon’s home also was valued at over $1 million. Dillon also has two homes in Temecula, according to court papers.
Former Beaumont public works director Deepak Moorjani’s Irvine home was valued at $998,833. He also has two others in Orange County and one in Beaumont, as well as the most bank accounts targeted, 33.
Also targeted were the homes of former city attorney Joseph Aklufi and former finance director William Aylward.
There was no effort to freeze the home or bank accounts of former police Chief Francis Dennis “Frank” Coe, charged with two counts of misappropriation of funds and one count of conspiracy.
Dugan’s ruling calls for defendants to respond no later than June 17 and the district attorney to reply to those papers no later than June 24.
These guys make the City of Bell guys look like pikers.
Dedicated public servants!
Some of the public “servants” who magically become multi-millionaires while in office.
Which tells me that California is hip deep in these situations.
More like chin deep! The amount of taxes they get on everything here in commiefornica that we pay and they want more.
California government nothing but corrupt.
Why didn’t the state auditor find this years ago?
I forget what that excuse was. John and Ken where all over this.
Questions, Questions, Questions, flooding into the mind of the concerned young person today.Ah, but it's a great time to be alive ladies and gentlemen. And that's the theme of our program for tonight...
— Frank Zappa, Call Any Vegetable
It has been fivecto ten years ago but the City of Half Moon Bay also made a huge blunder. Long story short they made a developer widen a road to their specs, which blocked a culvert. Water backed up and created a ‘wetlands’ they then denied him a building permit on that basis. He sued and eventually won 43 million ( if memory serves). The city then declared bankruptcy so as to not pay off the debt. That was were it stood when I moved away so my info is not current after that.
Nobody robs banks anymore.
The crooks go into politics or become government workers.
I’m sorry, but we are going to have to start hanging thieves.
There are too many of them and they aren’t afraid of prison.
I vaguely remember that.
There’s no limit to the lengths people will go to keep their jobs.
I bet they considered having the guy wasted, but couldn’t find anyone that would do the deed and who would keep their names out of it.
Dear Puerto Rico:
See, this is how you do it.
Love and kisses!
blueunicorn6
Here’s the latest I could find on HMB. Looks as though they settled for $18 million, but they had to functionally unincorporate to pay the judgement. We go there once in a while for a seafood dinner
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704278404576038390054784916
We are being economically gang banged by wide spread corruption from those in government.
My Wife works for the State of California. She had a meeting this last week informing them that because of the minimum wage increase in California , that they were going to get a 20% raise in income, payable over 4years payable at 5% each year. So she will be getting a 2500 raise each year. Whoopee ! She was already at her maximum pay for her position, now in a few years she will be making 10,000 more a year. Helps for retirement.
Have fun on your tax funded welfare retirement.
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