Fraud

Fee dispute between law firm and client results in counter-claim; $146K. Orange County.

Law firm sues for its fees; client countersues firm for fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.

  • Case Name: Bohm Wildish, LLP v. Teresa Roebuck in her capacity as trustee of the Shell Beach Trust Settlement
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, October 29, 2019
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Woman manages man's rental properties under loose agreement; embezzles money. $500K. Los Angeles County.

Property manager mishandles owner's funds.

  • Case Name: Timothy Robbins v. Marianne Alyea
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, July 26, 2019
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Breach of contract, fraud claimed in sale of surfboard company. $4.6M. Orange County

Sale of well-known surfboard company doesn't go as planned.

  • Case Name: Todd Greco, et al. v. Randy Cecola, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, May 30, 2019
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Elder dies in memory care facility after repeatedly receiving sedative; $42.5M. Sacramento County.

Over-sedation is blamed when elderly plaintiff chokes on food, dies.

  • Case Name: Barbara Lovenstein, et al. v. Eskaton Fountainwood Lodge, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, April 25, 2019
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E-wallet company says credit card processor defrauded it.

E-wallet company says credit card processor failed to pay millions owed.

  • Case Name: MH Pillars, Ltd. v. Payment World, LLC, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, May 02, 2018
  • Wednesday, 02 May 2018
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Real estate investment partners blame each other when investment fizzles. $1.2 million. Orange County.

Partnership formed to both purchase and build properties goes south, partners sue each other.

  • Case Name: Samen v. Berkowitz
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, November 01, 2017
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Hispanic homeowners tricked into signing away their home. $157,622. Los Angeles County.

Company promises to save homeowners from foreclosure, but actually tricks consumer into signing a quit-claim deed.

 

  • Case Name: Moreno v. Herrera, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, May 15, 2017
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Negligent care at residential facility results in sexual abuse of minor. $12 million. Sacramento County.

Residential facility for special needs children is accused of gross neglect leading to sexual assault off-campus.

  • Case Name: Doe v. FamiliesFirst, Inc.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, April 14, 2017
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Law firms dispute sharing of $12 million fee award in class action. Bench verdict for defense.

Business law firm suggests a class action and class representative to plaintiffs' class-action firm; expects split of $12 million fee award, but defendants say they cannot ethically pay it.

  • Case Name: Barnes, Crosby, Fitzgerald & Zeman, LLP v. Jerome Ringler; Ringler, Kearney & Alvarez, LLP; Patrick McNicholas; Matthew McNicholas; and McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Sunday, July 10, 2016
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Koreatown coffee shop sale turns ugly. $400K bench verdict. Los Angeles County.

Minority partner in coffee shop says she was defrauded by the majority owners.

  • Case Name: Jang v. J.S.M. Heyri, Inc.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, June 14, 2016
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Nerve surgery goes beyond consent of patient. $1 million. Orange County.

After a piriformis release surgery (left buttocks), plaintiff claims doctor performed an unconsented to and unnecessary second procedure on her left lower leg; claims medical negligence, battery and fraud.

  • Case Name: Nadine Froesch v. Israel P. Chambi, M.D., et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, February 03, 2016
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Lawyer, others promise home loan modifications. Fraud. $96K. Orange County.

A lawyer, now disbarred, and his associates offer home loan modification services, but don't perform after taking plaintiffs' money.

  • Case Name: Atilano Villalon et al. v. Gary Lee Lane, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, June 24, 2015
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Company fails to pay sales commissions and salary; $2.192 million bench verdict. Butte County.

Sales exec says he brought in business but did not get paid; employer goes bankrupt and plaintiff proceeds on alter ego theory against primary stockholder.

  • Case Name: Silvestro v. NLP International Corporation, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, July 23, 2014
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Real estate loans go sour and senior woman blames long-time broker. $1.18 million. U.S. Eastern District Bankruptcy Court.

64-year-old instructs long-time realty broker/financial advisor to sell her rental properties; instead, he refinances properties and invests proceeds in real estate loans that go bad. $1.18 million verdict includes punitives.

  • Case Name: Andre v. John Roe real estate broker
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, March 20, 2014
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Defense verdict in breach of contract claim involving sale of dental practice. San Francisco County.

Plaintiff claims breach of contract after buying defendant's periodontal practice. Jury finds for defense.

  • Case Name: Doina Panaite, DDS v. George K. Merijohn, DDS, et al.
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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$3.9 million verdict when Wyndham Vacation Resorts breaches contract, commits fraud against travel wholesaler. Los Angeles County.

Plaintiff, a wholesale travel sales company, sold certificates to defendant Wyndham Vacation Ownership's timeshares for many years. When the recession hit, defendant broke oral and written contracts, costing plaintiff a majority of its business as it had worked almost exclusively for defendant.

  • Case Name: Casablanca Express, Inc. vs. Wyndham Vacation Ownership, et al
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Sunday, October 21, 2012
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