Posted on 09/22/2007 6:36:56 AM PDT by george76
A Laguna Beach investment firm filed a lawsuit against Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu on Friday, claiming he defrauded investors out of at least $23 million and required them to donate to Democratic candidates.
According to the lawsuit filed by Briar Wood Investments, Hsu persuaded the company's operator to do business with him by taking him to star-studded Democratic Party events. There, the 56-year-old Hong Kong native was praised by New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and others, the lawsuit said.
As a condition of doing business with the fundraiser, Hsu directed investors to make contributions to certain Democratic candidates, the lawsuit said. The investors turned over tens of thousands of dollars, including $30,000 worth of checks to Clinton's campaign on a single day.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal troubles that continue to mount for Hsu.
Last week, New York investors filed a similar suit against Hsu. On Thursday, federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint accusing Hsu of operating a national Ponzi scheme and reimbursing investors for donations made in their names. And on Friday, a San Mateo County judge ordered Hsu held without bail in a 1991 theft case.
According to the lawsuit, Waters invested with Hsu in part because "prominent persons, including Sen. Hillary Clinton, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, national Democratic political adviser James Carville, film director Steven Spielberg, actor (Tobey) Maguire, grocery store magnate/billionaire Ron Burkle and others introduced and/or endorsed Hsu as a friend, colleague and trusted associate."
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
That’s what I wanted. Thanks.
You’re welcome.
Sorry! ping to #41
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LOL!
Thanks potlatch!
I did a quick “lavender” tint on a “Stonewall” .jpg image just for Hillary
I noticed the BG right away, it’s very nice. Overall great post JB!!
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The Nearly-Ancient Moroner
The ‘fat Hillary’ figurehead!!
Heading out the door to grocery shop, back later.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (text of 1834)
**************************************POETRY ONLINE*************************
Argument
See link for the lengthy poem.....
You have to be really stupid to take your investment advice from Democrats..... it might work out for awhile, but it’s a house of cards and you might just find yourself associated with more criminal elements than you knew existed....
.
I recall having to memorize that cute little poem
LOL! that is almost, well.....
Since the contributions to the Democrats were coerced... does that mean they have to give it back?
BTTT
O.C. investors accuse fundraiser Hsu of fraud
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The new civil case describes how Briar Wood's chief, Martin Waters, and about 60 others in Orange County became ensnared in investment deals that, according to federal authorities, Hsu has admitted were phony.
Waters, like Hsu, had been in the apparel business -- the two men met at a San Diego trade show in the 1980s -- and were brought together again in 2004 by Waters' former business partner.
Waters was told he was investing in high-interest loans to companies in need of short-term financing, the lawsuit says. He invested $10,000 in the first deal and participated in about 40 more over the next three years. The deals typically matured in about 100 days and had rates of return that topped 20%.
The investment opportunity spread by word of mouth, drawing in Waters' friends, family members, neighbors and acquaintances, said William Bollard, the attorney representing Briar Wood. Several of the investors were pipe enthusiasts who befriended Waters at a local tobacco store.
Eventually, the Orange County cluster grew so big that Hsu asked Waters to act as a conduit, establishing Briar Wood to collect checks from other investors and issue postdated checks to them, which investors could deposit on the date the deals matured.
According to the lawsuit, when Hsu's problems surfaced late last month, he tried to persuade Waters that the investment business was "all taken care of." He also tried to reassure Waters during a meeting at a Beverly Hills hotel soon after being rearrested in the 1991 theft case.
Two days later, Hsu's checks bounced on a deal set to mature Sept. 5. Briar Wood investors are out at least $3.6 million invested in that deal as well as more than $19 million invested in three others that have not matured, the lawsuit says.
Waters declined to speak about the case Friday. Hsu spokesman Bob Emmers of the crisis communications firm Sitrick & Co. also declined to comment.
Bollard said Hsu's machinations had Waters feeling "completely taken" and horrified at the hardships suffered by others in his group. One investor sold a business to invest with Hsu, Bollard said. Others took out second mortgages.
"These are not wealthy, sophisticated investors," Bollard said. "This is not a group of people who had a lot of money to lose."
The suit lays out how Hsu attempted to leverage his growing profile as a fundraiser to draw in investors and to tap his network of investors for political contributions.
It says Waters invested with Hsu in part because "prominent persons, including Sen. Hillary Clinton, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, national Democratic political advisor James Carville, film director Steven Spielberg, actor [Tobey] Maguire, grocery store magnate/billionaire Ron Burkle and others introduced and/or endorsed Hsu as a friend, colleague and trusted associate."
Hsu frequently invited Waters, a registered Republican, to star-studded Democratic Party events as proof of his stature and credibility, the lawsuit says.
Updates above ping!
WoW! I only knew about the $2.5 million in illegal campaign contributions. This is much, much worse. The house of cards is really starting to crumble.
Talk about corrupt. The RATS were all jacked up over Abramoff and his $3 million dollar contributions. The GOP has people in prison for their part, and Tom DeLay was forced to resign over Abramoff. We better see some heads roll over this and several RATS should go to prison too.
Including the charge in NY the Total is now up to 65 M$....so far....
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