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UPDATED, 8:30 AM: The person who prosecutors say used the Desilu Studios identify related to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s TV manufacturing firm to lure traders whose cash he spent on himself pleaded not responsible right this moment to federal fees.
Charles Hensley, 68, of Redondo Seaside, faces 11 counts of wire fraud and one depend of aggravated id theft. His trial was set for February 21 in Los Angeles federal court docket. Learn particulars of the case beneath.
PREVIOUSLY, August 10: A Southern California man who allegedly used the “Desilu Studios” identify to draw traders whose cash he later squandered on himself was indicted by a federal grand jury right this moment in Los Angeles. Charles Hensley, 68, of Redondo Seaside, faces 11 counts of wire fraud and one depend of aggravated id theft.
An arraignment in U.S. District Courtroom will occur within the coming weeks.
The alleged scheme impacted many traders, together with some who wired the $331,000 recognized within the wire fraud counts. Hensley additionally allegedly focused a number of corporations within the leisure trade. Regardless of his claims that Desilu Studios was valued at greater than $11 billion and Migranade at greater than $50 million, the businesses had been really shell firms with few property or none in any respect.
If convicted, Hensley potential faces as much as 20 years in federal jail for every wire fraud depend. The id theft fees carries a compulsory two-year sentence.
CBS Studios had sued Hensley in October 2018 over the matter, alleging that he tried to enlist the assist of Lucie Arnaz in what he claimed was a relaunch of Desilu Studios really was trying to make use of her well-known identify to “induce unwitting traders” in a shell firm. In line with that filed in California federal court docket (learn it right here), “CBS is knowledgeable and believes that Hensley by no means supposed to make use of the Desilu identify for legit enterprise functions and, as a substitute, supposed to make use of that identify with the intention to induce ‘investments’ into his shell corporations.”
At the moment’s indictments allege that from August 2017-Might 2018, Hensley efficiently pitched investments in corporations he owned — together with Desilu Studios Inc. and Migranade Inc. — which he operated out of places of work in a number of Southern California places. Regardless of his claims that Desilu Studios was valued at greater than
$11 billion and Migranade at greater than $50 million, the businesses really had been shell firms with few property or none in any respect, in accordance with the indictment.
Hensley started utilizing the identify Desilu in 2016 and allegedly mentioned he was making new content material for his firm, per the indictment, telling traders he was rich and backing his enterprise along with his private funds.
In actuality, he had few property and was overdrawn on financial institution accounts, the indictment alleges.
It additional alleges that Hensley falsely represented that Desilu Studios was about to go public and that the corporate’s inventory was price greater than its face worth and greater than traders had been paying and would improve in worth following its imminent preliminary public providing. Prosecutors additionally say Hensley stole somebody’s id to checklist as Desilu Studio’s chief monetary officer in providing supplies.
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