Category Archives: racketeering

Nevada Judge Orders Release of Documents

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As a former investigative reporter I always hated it when some nameless bureaucrat failed to obey federal law and turn over documents under the Freedom of Information Act. They ALWAYS stall. In doing so they ALWAYS break the law. Many times I went behind the bureaucrats’ back and asked a buddy to ‘leak’ the requested information to me. Then to mess with their heads I often sent a letter of demand to the agency in question asking for all documents related to how the agency had handled my first demand under the Freedom of Information Act. They’re bureaucrats. They’re arrogant. Some are lazy. Some just aren’t that bright. And sometimes they screw up and end up giving me the documents they were required by law to turn over in the first place.

That said, reporters and lawyers for the Las Vegas Review-Journal are doing their job at getting their hands on documents in the FBI’s long-running investigation into the slimy, organized crime ring involving HOA scammer Leon Benzer and his private Mafia of three dozen cops, lawyers, businessmen and HOA management companies who tried to take over Homeowners Associations in The Valley.

Now, Federal Judge Mahan has seen the light and has unsealed quite a number of documents in the FBI’s biggest Las Vegas scam in the state’s history. It’ll take the reporters a long time to sift through the millions of documents. But this is the only news agency in the country that has taken HOA crime seriously and has doggedly pursued these monsters.

I’m still a bit unsettled that out of forty or so cases of bald faced lying and swindling only one guy got significant time. And I still think he’s making travel arrangements to Mexico so he’ll never spend a day in prison. Trust me. This guy is working on it.

(link to Review-Journal story on unsealing of documents)

http://m.reviewjournal.com/news/crime-courts/judge-grants-newspapers-motion-unseal-hoa-probe-documents

Mommy and Daddy Are Going To Jail!

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guest blog by Nila Ridings

Excuse my language, but WHAT THE HELL is going on at Raintree Lake in Lee’s Summit, Missouri?

This family project of building a playset is about to land the parents in JAIL. All because the stain they used on the wood is purple. And since when do HOAs have the legal right to put somebody in JAIL? Isn’t JAIL where criminals go? Tell me what is criminal about purple? Or a playset. Oh! That’s right we’re dealing with an HOA here. Now, this all makes sense.

I know people who live in this Raintree Lake HOA. I’m not sure how happy they will be to see their neighbors hauled off in handcuffs to JAIL over the color purple. And I know they will not be happy having their dues burned up in legal bills! I need to ask them if their HOA has built a jail for those who they think did not follow the CC&R’s? Perhaps this is the up and coming thing with HOAs? I’ve always felt like I was living in a JAIL since I moved into an HOA.

I can hear it now. “Hi Dad, it’s Marla. We’re in JAIL because we stained the girls’ playset purple! Can you come down with some bail money so we can get out of HOA JAIL?”

The internet discussions are about starting fundraiser websites to help this family fight to keep their playset. So sad. Good money being donated and spent to fill the pockets of HOA attorneys…again!

Folks, in the big picture of life would somebody please clue these Raintree Lake HOA board members in on how insanely ridiculous they are conducting themselves. When I think of the massive issues we are facing in America and worldwide, it really irks me that bullies on HOA boards are relishing the idea of destroying lives and bank accounts over nonsense. And purple paint is total nonsense!

When will the legislators wake up and see what damage is being done to homeowners by people with evil intentions?

Thanks to Scott McDonnell at KMBC for covering this story. I have tried for years to get this television station to help us educate homeowners about HOAs. Finally, I see progress is being made!

(link to KMBC story on the purpose swing set)

 

Taps

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guest blog by Nila Ridings

The first time I ever heard Taps, I was at Girl Scout camp. We sang it when our eyelids were heavy and our sleeping bags were calling our names. It relaxed me at the same time it created a rush of excitement in anticipation of waking up to a new day of celebrating friendship and learning. After that time, I mostly heard it during televised burials. On that bitter cold day in March when my dad was laid to rest, the final sounds of the service were of the trumpet echoing over the lake as Taps bid him a final farewell. I will always cherish that send off to my hero.

Here we have a Tacoma, Washington neighborhood bidding the daily sun a good-bye with Taps all because of one man, their cherished neighbor, Don Brittain. In his heart, Don is playing those notes to honor those who serve in the United States military. But the notes he echoes across Puget Sound are bringing a sense of peace to all within earshot as well.

From the video interviews and the variety of homes and paint colors I tend to believe this is not a homeowners association. But I wonder, what if? What if someone blew Taps at every sunset in America’s HOAs would it bring peace and mellow out the war zones? Or would the HOA board decide it was a reason to fine, lien, and foreclose on the trumpeter’s home?

Is there anything humanly possible that will bring peace to these nightmare HOAs? Or will that only come when these dilapidated poorly-constructed townhomes are laid to rest in the landfill while the earth is being excavated for re-development? Perhaps thenTaps will be blown for the betterment of all.

I found these videos to be very special, I hope our readers will, too.

(another story on trumpeter by KOMO TV, Seattle)

 

Nevada Judge Finally Shows Some Guts

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Well, good old Las Vegas mobster Leon Benzer has finally met justice in his plan to steal millions and millions of dollars from Homeowners Associations. Not much justice, but at least federal judge James Mahan has now sentenced Benzer to 15 1/2 years in federal prison. With ‘good time’ he may end up spending seven years behind bars. Most of his 38 co-conspirators in the massive scam to take over Las Vegas Homeowners Associations got probation to a year-and-a-half in prison.

Of the other conspirators, a number have died, some of them by suicide. Benzer was the last to be sentenced in the long-running case.

How much did Benzer steal from homeowners? Untold millions. But this gangster’s damage has ripples that will go on forever. Home values in Las Vegas crashed, people lost their homes and all their retirement savings. Foreclosures spiked because so much money was bled out of HOAs. Investigators have said Benzer & Company actually stole somewhere beween 60 and 100 million dollars from homeowners.

But get ready for the real story: It hasn’t happened yet. Leon Benzer is very familiar with Mexico. A ton of money he stole ended up in a Mexican resort. There are links in the HOA investigation to a Mexican drug cartel. Benzer once owned his own Mexican tequila company. He doesn’t have to report for prison until November 6th. As fundamentally corrupt as this piece of trash is, what would stop him from crossing the border? Oh, that’s right. He might not be able to get across the ‘border fence.’

We’ll see.

(BTW, Benzer reads this website! How’s it goin’ Leon?)

(link to Las Vegas Review-Journal story on Benzer’s sentence)

 

Want to Keep You Entertained!

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Yes, I want to keep all of you entertained and coming back to Neighbors At War. So forgive me if I’m reposting old material but I get a good belly laugh each time I hear this old Pete Seeger song. It’s so true for so many of us!

For a great history on Seeger’s Little Boxes hit, see the following:

(link to Little Boxes history)