Officials deport wine con man Rudy Kurniawan, who bilked collectors out of millions of dollars. He is back in Indonesia. He was putting less expensive Napa and Burgundy wines into counterfeit bottles at his home in Arcadia.
Rudy Franta, building inspector with the city of Arcadia for 15 years, has been promoted to chief building official. Article outlines the office's activities and includes biographical notes on Franta.
Former Arcadia man accused of lying, losing millions of investors' money. James Arthur McDonald, Jr. former CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Hercules Investments LLC and Index Strategy Advisors Inc. was charged with one count of securities fraud. Prosecutors claim McDonald lost clients of his Los Angeles-based firm Hercules millions of dollars in late 2020. He had been renting a home in Arcadia.
Pasadena parents speak on tirade of San Rafael Elementary School (in Pasadena) Principal Rudy Ramirez, an Arcadia resident. Pasadena Unified School District trustees meet in closed session but take no action; rant over janitor's arrest by Pasadena police videotaped. See also "Mayor Gordo defends critical letter," Pasadena Star News, p. A1, A6, August 20, 2022.
A recent report filed in federal court says Gemcoin's scam collected $164 million. Initially, investigators linked Gemcoin to $32 million in fraudulent investment. Steven Chen, his company U.S. Fine Investment Arts Inc., and Gemcoin (digital currency backed by precious gem reserves and amber mines) are accused of a "worldwide pyramid scheme."
The Feds (Secret Service, part of the U.S. Treasury Department) take over counterfeiting case from Arcadia Police Department. Five individuals were arrested on suspicion of passing counterfeit bills at Robinsons-May, Macy's and possibly JC Penney, at Westfield Shoppingtown in Arcadia.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency may sell 3.74 Acres of land on the northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Second Avenue to Grand Royale Hometel for 1.3 million dollars. After the parcel is sold, the city plans to rezone the property for the developers raising the value to about 3.5 million.
Ruixue "Serena" Shi, 36, of Arcadia, was arrested for allegedly swindling more than $20 million that was solicited for funding a condominium and hotel complex called Hyde Resorts and Residences in Coachella Valley. Shi was president and owner of Global House Buyer (GHB), a China-based real estate development company, and also was CEO of the Beverly Hills-based company Hyde Morgan Development, LLC.
Feds move to seize homes in San Gabriel Valley, Rancho Cucamonga. The properties were allegedly purchased with millions in proceeds from what FBi investigators said was a fraudulent visa program. Victoria Chan and her father Tat Chan exploited the EB-5 visa program which offers legal permanent residence in the U.S. for foreign nationals who make job-creating investments of $500,000 or more in U.S. companies.
Arcadia woman Ruixue "Serena" Shi, 37, pleaded guilty to soliciting $22.8 million in funds for a condominium and hotel project scheme. The crime is one federal count of wire fraud, which has a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, 7, October 28, 2021.
Documents reveal fraud case against Arcadia-based Gemcoin, a cryptocurrency investment scheme. The Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) ultimate goal is to make Gemcoin chief Steve Chen return alleged fraudulently acquired millions with interest, pay hefty fines, and ban him from the securities business.
Brian Simpson was arrested by Arcadia Police Department after allegedly trying to defraud the Foothill Federal Credit Union of $59,000 through a fictitious car loan. It was a sting operation by the Arcadia Police Department.