Rotten pumpkins in the patch....

Rotten pumpkins in the patch… My last posting and the following have to do with a land fraud that cost the taxpayers just shy of $2,000,000 to purchase a “Dedicated Open Space” lot from a people who knew just who was corrupt enough to participate in the scheme. Most of the participants will be protected from prosecution by the three year statute of limitations on fraud. It doesn’t make them any less guilty.

It all began with a loan to Mountain Parks developer Steve Harris from a bank controlled by a Ward Wardman in 1983, both of whom were Board members of the Mountains Restoration Trust (MRT), Harris would become Executive Director at a later date. Wardman was the Trustee and Beneficiary of the Trust Deed. The developer defaulted in 1991. In 1999 he, Wardman, purchased the lot at a Trustee’s Sale for $30,000 and in 2001 attempted to re subdivide the lot by APN since the property was in two separate Tax Rate Area’s. This is due to the issuance of Water District Improvements Bonds and entitlements there from. The Assessor informed Wardman that the lot could not be split.

Forward to 2004 and Wardman finds a buyer, Mark Handel and his partner Scott Adler who pay $1,199,000. Through a mutual friend I got to talk with Handel who tells me by phone that he is going to subdivide the property into 12 lots. A look at the Assessors map shows the lot to be a “RESTRICTED USE AREA” due to dedications shown on the Tract Map, the topography to be mostly “SLOPE EASEMENTS” and clearly undevelopable. Surely a professional developer can read an Assessor’s plat map.

Step up to the plate and find a willing buyer, enter the Conservancy and the MRT. Joe Edmiston, Laurie Collins Esq. and Paul D. Edelman gin up the deal for the Conservancy, Joe notes that the deal has been examined by Lawyers Title and First American in 2004 and again in 2008 and all is well. He tries to sweep the "Cloud on Title" created by item 3 on the Exceptions from Coverage a recorded Covenant, an Agreement recorded Dec. 23, 1925 under the rug. The stage is now set for the scam and new players arrive. William and Marjorie Handel who are granted partial ownership by Mark and his partner on May 1, 2008 become willing participants. William is better known as “Bill, Handel on the Law”, 640 AM radio. William and Marjorie attempt to “Gift” their share of the lot to the MRT but are caught by Chicago Title and forced to re record the deed based on the full value of the transaction less liens and encumbrances at the time of sale. The Documentary Transfer Tax was $716.10. You do the math. What would uncle Wolfe think of Williams behavior?

February 2, 2011. MRCA Agenda, Item VI, Resolution No. 11-14. Resolved.. #2 “Finds that acquisition costs will be paid for by a combination of funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board, County of Los Angeles, City of Calabasas and private donations”. How much did the City of Calabasas contribute to this fraud and who authorized the deal? Who knew who at the Wildlife Conservation Board to get them to choke up $425K of tax payer dollars?

I’ve sent correspondence to Supervisor Kuehl’s office with copies of the paper work trail that documents what was posted today and asked her office to look into what if anything can be done to see that those responsible for this sordid affair answer for it.