Tag Archives: Federal investigators

Whoa! Nevada HOA Mob ‘Boss’ to Plead Guilty? Say It Ain’t So, Joe!

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Rumors are that HOA mobster Leon Benzer is going to plead guilty in federal court Friday morning! Benzer headed up the massive scheme to take over and corrupt Homeowners Associations in and around Las Vegas. Benzer got phony board members ‘elected’ in dozens of HOAs. Millions of dollars in construction defect mitigation insurance was then diverted away from homeowners and into the pockets of lawyers, police officials, prominent politicians, businessmen. A federal judge has told homeowners they’ll never get back those stolen millions. And Benzer will be the 37th member of the gang to skate past federal organized crime and racketeering charges with just a pat on his corrupt and flabby back.

This case has been weird from the very beginning. Four of the most ‘inconvenient’ suspects committed suicide. It was one of the largest public corruption cases in the history of the FBI. So it’s really rather sad to see the feds knuckle in to knuckleheads. By accepting Benzer’s guilty plea the feds will be throwing away one of the most valuable corruption intimidation cases they’ve ever conducted.

Yay that the the ‘feebies’ got Sammy ‘the Bull’ and the Teflon Don thrown in jail for life. But Nevada and Las Vegas, which are famous as a retirement community for the world’s Mafioso, will never get to know the whole story about how corrupt the American Homeowners Association movement really is. And that means the movement will not only stay corrupt, it will get more corrupt. Steal a hundred million bucks and get 18 months in jail? A lot of folks would say, “Hey, I’d like that job!”

(link to ReviewJournal story on pending guilty plea)

 

Mexican Drug Cartels and the HOA Business?!?! Gwan, Ward!

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I don’t have to exaggerate this one since it’s coming out in next month’s federal HOA racketeering trial in Las Vegas. No, there are positive links between money laundering in American Homeowners Associations through Mexican drug cartels. As absolutely incredible and impossible it sounds, everything’s fair game when it makes its way into sworn federal court testimony.

Sound weird? Impossible? Just remember that when crime gets organized, organized crime becomes endemic.

And remember that the national news networks are totally avoiding any in-depth reporting on this story. Shame on the national media.

(link to connections between Mexican cartels and HOA business)

 

 

New Ties Between Mob & Las Vegas HOA Scandal

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I’ve give anything to be able to personally report on the upcoming federal HOA trial in Las Vegas. The whole nation should be abuzz with this story about racketeering and Homeowners Associations. But few people outside of Nevada have actually heard of it. The networks simply aren’t covering it.

But reporters and columnists for the Las Vegas Review Journal are doing a great job ferreting out the weasles. The column linked below shows some pretty fascinating ties between a well-known mob drug trafficker and the HOA business.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/john-l-smith/defense-hoa-scheme-trial-missed-its-mark

Worst Neighbor Nomination: How about the one who shoots, kills your family dog?

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guest blog by Deborah Goonan

On New Year’s Eve in Wedgefield, a deed-restricted, golf and equestrian community in Central Florida, someone shot and killed the Evans family’s yellow lab.

The family’s beloved pet escaped from its yard, as pets sometimes do, and apparently wandered onto a neighbor’s property. The neighbor allegedly confronted the owner of the dog, Brock Evans, and threatened to shoot his pet. When Evans quickly went to retrieve his dog, and talked to his neighbor for about ten minutes, he heard several gunshots. Shortly thereafter his dog was found with gunshot wounds, and later died as a result of those injuries. The neighbor denies shooting the dog, but does not deny that his son might have pulled the trigger. Orange County is investigating the matter as a case of cruelty to animals.

Under Florida Statute, the perpetrator, if properly identified and if guilt can be proven, may be charged with a misdemeanor or fined up to $5000 or both. However, if your dog is deemed as “dangerous” or if your neighbor claims that your dog attacked a person, pet or livestock on his property, this often suffices as a defense for shooting your dog.

Before the unfortunate incident, Evans had never spoken to his neighbor, who lives just two doors down the road. Wedgefield is a deed-restricted community with voluntary HOA membership.

Orlando Sentinel link to story of family pet shot by neighbor

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-yellow-lab-dog-shot-20150107-story.html

Opposing Views report on Orange County neighbor dispute over shooting of pet dog

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/animal-rights/orange-county-florida-family-accuses-neighbor-shooting-their-dog

Wedgefield HOA

http://www.wedgefieldhomeowners.com/faqs.html

Legal references:

FL Statute 828.12

https://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/cruelty/fl_cruel.htm

FL Statute 775.082

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0775/Sections/0775.082.html

FL Statute 767

http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2011/Chapter767

When Killing a Dog is Legally Justified

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/dog-book/chapter9-2.html

Shake-Up in Holly Lake HOA in Florida‏

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guest blog by Deborah Goonan

Bob Norman of Channel 10 has taken on yet another rogue HOA in Florida.

One of the oddities of some HOAs in Florida is that the Board of Directors retains the authority to screen and reject buyers and tenants. But what are the criteria used to arrive at those decisions?

The “HOA screening” issue has been a contentious one in Florida, as many would-be buyers or tenants have sued or filed formal complaints of discrimination.

For example, last year, one Venice HOA enacted restrictions for unmarried couples seeking to buy or lease a home! The Board claimed the July 2013 amendment was an erroneous oversight, but has never offered a reasonable explanation of how or why the single-people-or-married-couples-only restriction was approved. The media picked up on the outrageous restriction, and that prompted the HOA to amend its declarations to eliminate the discriminatory restriction.

Holly Lake HOA, located near the Everglades in South Florida, is the latest site of buyer-tenant review controversy. But this one involves a Board member apparently profiting from his position. It seems that Board Treasurer Paul Morales has been approving plenty of applications to purchase (or lease) units, but nearly all of those buyers have been family members and business affiliates. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that other buyers or tenants lacking direct ties to Morales have been rejected without satisfactory explanation.

Bob Norman’s review of public records seems to support those claims. Check out the video report. HOA members are calling for a criminal investigation, and have put pressure on Morales and colleague Ed Patton (President of the Board), prompting both men to choose not to run for reelection for the Board. Coincidence?

Another bit of irony: Florida Statute stipulates that convicted felons cannot serve on the Board; however, it does not require background checks for Board candidates. Yet Florida Statute fully allows Board to screen and background check their tenants and buyers! Talk about a double standard. Guess what? It just so happens that Morales faced federal charges in 2000, involving a past real estate deal – charges that were mysteriously dropped.

As usual, requests for access to financial records have been ignored, and one owner has been harassed for daring to ask questions. Also predictable, although the conflict of interest seems obvious to anyone with two active brain cells, there has not been any determination of illegality.

Link to Channel 10, Bob Norman, Holly Lake HOA story

link to Herald Tribune, Casa di Amici COA story on amendments to restrictions